


Accidentally Tied To You

by shirewalker



Category: The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Accidental Marriage, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Smut, accidental husband au, alina is getting married to mal - ugh - but turns out she's already married?? to a stranger??, also tolya doesn't speak much. it's mostly tamar but he's important too, anti mal, harshaw and david only show up in a scene or two but I love them so, omg shenanigans bound to ensue, she's a photographer!, smut only in a couple of moments later on but already tagging as such for warning, very anti mal, was watching the movie accidental husband and got idea! :D
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-05
Updated: 2018-07-10
Packaged: 2019-01-30 00:40:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12642600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shirewalker/pseuds/shirewalker
Summary: Alina is getting married to her childhood love: Mal. But when they go to the notary to get everything in check before the ceremony, there's a little... issue.She is already married.To a guy she never met.She needs to fix this, but first she must meet the guy. Nikolai Sturmhond. Surely he's a sensible man, surely he'll agree to fix such a terrible mistake.But when have things ever been that easy?Soon Alina will find herself tied to someone as unexpected as the glitch in more than one way. How will she solve this??





	1. The One With the Wrong Husband

**Author's Note:**

> new long fic! EXCITED!!!

 

 

 

“I’m WHAT?” the question echoed throughout the registry office, bystanders stopping midsentence to look for the source of the gasped outrage. The notary shot Alina a nearly blank look before taking a deep breath and turning back to the screen.

“You’re already married, Miss Starkov. Well, not miss anymore.” Alina swore a smirk crossed the man’s features for half a second, “Nor Starkov, of course. But yes, I’m afraid you’re already married.”

Mal swore under his breath, “Is this a joke?”

“What?! I’m as surprised as you are!” she whisper-shouted at him, making sure to shoot a glare the notary’s way. The man seemed unfazed.

“Then can you explain to me why we can’t get married?” her fiancé asked through gritted teeth.

She shook her head helpless, “I swear I have no idea what this is about!” she turned her attention back to the man, his expressionless face pale in the screen’s cold light, “Please, double check those files. There has to be a mistake! A… huh… a glitch!”

The man shook his head, “I triple checked, miss. You’re married.” His tone was almost as cold and static as the light emanating from that damned screen.

“To whom?” this was getting out of hand. Like a nightmare. She had to be having a nightmare! Alina pinched herself in hopes of waking up, but all she got was a strange look from the nearby couple as she yelped in pain.

“A…” the notary typed on his computer, promptly ignoring her failed attempt at waking up, “Mr Sturmhond.” His green eyes focused on hers, “Congratulations, Mrs Sturmhond.”

 

* * *

 

The door closed with a bang loud enough to wake up the whole neighbourhood. Mal threw his coat onto the couch and dug his hands in his already mussed up hair, “Now what?”

Alina sagged down on the armchair, her hands holding a single piece of paper with an unknown address, “I… don’t know.” This was too much, too… much.

Her fiancé whirled her way, “You don’t know?”

“I… I’ll have to find this man and talk to him. Get him to go to the notary with me and fix this. This has to be a glitch, but if they say it isn’t, then we have to fix it the legal way.” She answered, happy to have paid attention to Genya’s long nights spent studying for her law classes. Sure, she still had no clue on ninety nine percent of the existent laws, but at least now she knew how to talk about matters such as these. And speaking like Genya helped a lot, especially considering how this already married deal was giving Alina all sorts of unexpected anxiety spikes.

“You think?” Mal spat.

She flinched, “It’s not my fault, Mal. You know I love you.”

The fire in his eyes died out as he realised his outburst, “Sorry, this is just all too… too much.” An echo of her own thoughts.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Mal nodded and picked up his coat, “Where are you going?” she asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Out for a drink. I’ll be back later.” A short and almost clinical answer before he took off without another word. Alina stayed there, fingers barely holding the fated paper, her eyes glued on the space where her high school sweetheart turned fiancé had stood.

A long minute passed before she moved again. Careful as to not lose the paper or tear it to pieces, she held it up and glared at the printed address. Whoever this man was… He’d better agree to divorce as fast as possible, or saints help her, she’d drag him to the notary’s desk herself.

 

* * *

 

The docks glittered under the afternoon sun and Alina put a hand to shield her eyes as she looked for anyone that looked remotely trustworthy. This wasn’t such a terrible place as she’d thought it to be the second she found out Sturmhond’s address was in a dock. There were fishing boats yes, but there were also small yachts and private boats and even some small sporting… boats. To her dismay she only knew the words yacht and boat and ship, and she was certain each vessel had a different name.

Her eyes caught sight of two black haired people. They looked Shu Han, their eyes so golden they rivalled with the glittering sea. They also looked related. Brother and sister, perhaps. Deeming them trustworthy enough to ask for directions, Alina settled back her hat and walked to them.

“Excuse me?” she greeted, mouthing a sorry as she noticed she’d interrupted a conversation. Great. Leave it to Alina Starkov to have a penchant for interrupting conversations.

The sister, small just like Alina, offered her a smile that was somehow both calming and deadly unsettling, “Yes?” Just as she had thought, the woman’s accent hinted at Shu Han origins.

“Hi, I’m sorry for interrupting, but I… hum…” she looked down to check on the address, “I’m looking for a Sturmhond. The address I was given led me here but…” her eyes fell on the rows of boats and yachts and despair sank its claws on her stomach. There were too many boats to comb through. The twins, she realised now they were too alike to not be twins, followed her gaze.

The man sat up and gave her a quick greeting nod, “Sturmhond lives in the Winged Penguin.”

She waited, but when he didn’t answer, Alina shot a pleading look at the sister. The young woman chuckled, “Excuse my brother, sometimes he forgets not everyone can read his mind.” She cut him a look before gesturing for Alina to follow her, “I’m Tamar, by the way, and that eloquent big bear is my brother, Tolya.” Humour coated her words, “And Sturmhond and his ship are that way,” she pointed to Alina’s right, where the dock forked into two, “At the very end of the dock. You won’t miss it. It’s the only sail ship with painted wings on its sails.” She said, that doubled edged smirk back on her lips.

Alina thanked Tamar and set off down the docs to look for her… husband.

 

* * *

 

“Hello?” the Winged Penguin groaned softly as it bobbed in the water and soft waves moved around it, lazy and almost unnoticeable. Seagulls cried in the distance, the sea softly singing with them. And that… was about as many sounds as Alina could hear. No one answered her call and no one seemed to be on board, by the looks of it. She looked back over her shoulder, half expecting the twins to be somewhere watching her and laughing their heads off at their practical joke, but no one was there, the docks as empty as she’d found them. The twins were too far away to see her anyway.

She called again, this time louder and with much less patience to spare. And again, she got no answer.

Alina was ready to scream her head off, and maybe even take the ship apart if it meant this Sturmhond guy answered her, when a shout came from below, “Down here!”

Down? She eyed the water and the small ramp that led to the ship with distrust. It would be really nice if the man came outside to meet her, but when he called again, Alina knew she had to face the untrustworthy bobbing of the ship if she wanted to talk. With a deep breath, she stepped forward, knees wobbling far too much for her taste. She really didn’t like ships. Boats. Whatever. They were all too unsteady anyway.

By the time her knees of jelly had taken her to the stairs leading down into the ship’s belly, a blonde head came up. Her “husband” had after all come to her. Great, if only she’d waited a little longer. It would have save her time and nerves.

As he stood, a good head taller than her, Alina’s heart leapt to her throat. She made a sound as she fought a gasp and his hazel eyes fell on her. The sun shined on him like a spotlight, highlighting the golds and the greens in his eyes, making it look like crushed emeralds in a sea of liquid gold. His hair seemed to be made of the same gold, far too… luscious to be a seafaring man’s hair. And then there was his face. That’s what the sun seemed more inclined to highlight. He was… beautiful. Far too beautiful, if she was being honest. And he was too close for comfort, she finally noticed before taking three steps backward. And stumbling on rope.

A hand shot forward, quickly catching her flailing hands and pulling her into the safety of his embrace. Fire licked at her insides as Alina’s eyes met with his chest, tanned skin peeking through the opened collar of his shirt.

Again, she moved away. Her cheeks burning bright, she tried to compose herself before looking up. And when she did, she forgot all about finding this man attractive. No, all she could think about was how much of a good slap he deserved, the thought growing strong as she took in the insufferable smirk that graced his perfectly shaped lips.

“Hello, sunshine.” He said in a voice that spoke of mischief and wonder. Saints, even his voice made her think in metaphors. Sturmhond leaned on the mast and crossed his arms, the movement highlighting the tanned muscles of his annoyingly exposed forearms. Alina had to bite down her tongue so as to not follow the movement like a greedy and horny teenager. She was better than that. His smirk grew wider, “To what do I owe the pleasure of such a beautiful guest aboard my ship?”

With her back straight as a rod, Alina cut to the chase, “Mr Sturmhond, I—”

He’d lifted a hand, interrupting her, “Sorry. Please, call me Nikolai.” Again, his smile flashed and her insides tumbled.

She rolled her eyes at him, already getting tired of his smooth criminal moves and how easily her backstabbing body reacted to him, “Nikolai… Do you know who I am?”

A shrug, “Can’t say that I do. I don’t remember ever seeing you, and I think I wouldn’t have forgotten someone like you.” He spoke so smoothly Alina wouldn’t be surprised if half of Os Alta had sighed in that moment.

She fought the incoming eye roll and pulled out the notary’s paper on their “marriage”, “Well, according to the Ravkan registry office, we are married.” She said as she handed a very confused Nikolai those very papers.

For a long minute, Sturmhond’s attention was entirely focused on those printed words, the stark white almost blinding under the sunlight. Then, once he was finished with his reading, he handed her back the papers, sat down and gazed up at her, “Married?” She nodded. “How? I mean, don’t get me wrong, you’re beautiful,” that smirk again, “But I don’t exactly ever get drunk enough to accidentally marry someone.” A pause, “Do you?”

A question innocent enough yes, but the edge on his smirk told her other things. Alina was starting to think only completely and utterly mad would she ever marry such a man. Or love. She heaved a breath, trying hard to calm her need to throttle Nikolai, “No.”

He opened his hands, “So? How did this happen?”

“It’s probably some sort of glitch, but the notary refuses to look deeper into it. He just says we’re married and congratulations.”

“Well then,” Nikolai got up and dug his hands in his jeans’ pockets, “Congratulations to us!” Just like that his serious face and voice were traded for that almost childish shine he seemed to have.

She bristled, “It’s not that simple.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I’m getting married in a month, Mr Sturmhond. And to do so, I need the notary to sign some really nice papers that legalize everything. But because of this _glitch_ ,” she gestured to the discarded papers, hissing the word like it was poison, “I can’t do anything!”

Realisation dawned on Nikolai, “Oh. I see, so… you want the divorce?” she nodded, “Ouch, you wound me, my dear. We’ve barely met and you already wish to never see me again…” He tskd before turning away and walking back into the ship, leaving a bewildered Alina behind on deck.

“Wait a minute! You can’t just tsk at me and leave!” she barked at him, angrily walking down the steps that led her into the ship’s belly. The simple and comfortable, yet luxurious, décor took her by surprise. This looked like… a home. Not just a ship to spend time in, but a place to live in. A place to call a home.

Nikolai opened a cabinet and revealed a bottle of kvas. Then he grabbed two glasses and gestured for Alina to sit down, “Please, allow me to at least get to know you. And toast to us. And to your engagement. I don’t even know your name, sunshine. Other than Mrs Sturmhond.” He said with an insufferable smirk.

She sighed in exasperation but sat down anyways, already too tired to argue and demand action. He offered her a glass of kvas and she took it with a wary look, “My name is Alina. Not… sunshine.” She said through gritted teeth and then gulped down the drink with a grimace. Saints, she really didn’t like it.

“Alina…” Nikolai’s smirk gained a new and unreadable spark as he said her name, his voice and tongue taking in the taste of those five letters in his mouth. And Alina felt an embarrassing heat taking over her as she realised how good her name sounded coming right out of this stranger’s mouth.

“So!” Nikolai continued, ready to serve Alina another glass, to which she said no and begrudgingly whispered she preferred whiskey. A corner of his lips tugged up as he got up and fetched a bottle full of that golden liquid. Alina felt a little bummed that the man happened to have it as well, but said nothing when he served her a glass. “Alina, huh?” he served himself some whiskey as well, “Now, why don’t we get to know each other a bit more?”

She shot him a look but didn’t get up and leave. Instead, she took a drink.

 

* * *

 

It felt like the sea was as uneasy as she was. Or maybe she was just a little too drunk already. Either way, she held on tighter to the table as she settled down her now empty glass, “And that’s how Miss Kuya never let me near the kitchen ever again.” A hiccup ended her tale and she felt immensely pleased with that, for some unfathomable reason. Nikolai’s glass was still half done as he rested his head on a hand and gazed at her, a look of fascination painting his features. Fascination? Over what? Alina blinked hard twice, in an attempt of clearing her mind off her drunkenness and silly visions. Then she eyed her watch, feeling it was already getting late. Her eyes were unfocused, everything looking blurry, all the numbers mingling together in her head. It took her a good minute before she was able to tell what time it was.

And in that very second a curse left her lips, “Cripes!” Nikolai chuckled and she glared at him, or at least in his general way, “What’s so funny?”

His hands shot up in surrender as he shook his head, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

She huffed and made to stand up, “Doesn’t matter. It’s late, I huh…” she swayed a bit, “Gotta go, that’s it. Yeah, go.” The world really was out of balance tonight. When she took a step, her foot forgot where the floor was and Alina nearly fell face flat on the ground. A shriek died on her lips as her face met not with the wood floor but with Nikolai’s chest. Again. “I’m fine.” She said through a hiccup, cursing her body for betraying that way.

A knowing smirk met her comment, “Of course.” A pause, his hands still holding her close, keeping her steady, “Did you drive here?”

“Yes!” she announced, pleased to be able to give a straight, non-hiccupped answer, “In my yellow vintage Volkswagen Beetle.” When his eyebrows shot up, she added, “It’s a sunny yellow. That yellow you just know it’s what everyone should always use when painting suns.” Her voice pitched with pride and excitement over the perfect colour of her perfect car. And then she felt her knees give up on her.

“Woah, there!” Nikolai held her closer. He peered down her face, “You should lie down. Here, have my bed.” He said, guiding her to a room deeper into the boat.

She felt so, so dizzy… “Woah… my world is spinning…” her words came out garbled, her tongue too tired from all the drinking and talking, “Is yours spinning?” she looked up at him, “Your eyes are so pretty…” She added, completely forgetting about her question. They really were pretty. Like shards of emeralds scattered among chunks of gold. She should paint them one day. What a pretty painting that would make. Yes, a very pretty painting.

“Yeah, I’ll call you back on that.” He chuckled, and she realised she’d voiced her thoughts, “And yeah, my world’s spinning a little as well.” His smile was less insufferable then, as he helped her lie down and took off her shoes. “There you go. Sleep, Alina. You need some rest and to sleep all that whiskey off.”

She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t. But… it was a really soft bed and she was really dizzy… and tired… Perhaps she’d rest for a little bit. Just… a little… bit.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kay, so???
> 
> I'm really excited over this, I've been working on it for a while now and I'm so happy with the final result :D  
> I hope you guys like it!!
> 
> comments/feedback/fangirling is more than welcome and keep the monsters under the bed in check!


	2. The One With The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast and gossip, not so good news and a less than happy fiancé.  
> Alina needs a break.

 

 

 

A ray of sunlight hit her eyes and a groan, only heard when dinosaurs walked the earth, grew on her throat as she tried to avoid that damned light and a pounding pain hammered her head. “Oh…” she groaned, hands cradling her jingling head. This was why she’d sworn off drinking back when Genya had gotten married. But of course, that damned golden liquid of hell had a hold on her and it was hard to resist a few drinks. Especially when the company was so good… so…

With a startled gasp, Alina sat up, eyes bulging in panic only for her to quickly hold her head again as it was promptly sliced into a million tiny pieces. Eyes pressed shut, Alina tried to ignore the pain while also trying to piece together her memories of the previous night. Boat. Nikolai. Whiskey. His eyes. His… _bed_.

She cracked her eye just enough to peer at her outfit and found some solace in the fact that her golden-yellow turtleneck was still on. And so were her also golden-yellow stockings and her black skirt. All clothes on, just like she’d last seen them. So… no drunken sex. A relieved breath left her lips, at least there was that.

Off-tune humming came from the kitchen, that damned place where she’d almost lost her mind over a pair of pretty eyes. What was she? A stereotypical white guy that couldn’t resist green eyes and a pretty smile? With utmost care, Alina got out of bed and looked for her shoes, quickly putting them on as she kept an ear on the bad humming. Sounds typical to be found in a kitchen and the smell of something cooking told her that breakfast was being made. For a moment she pondered on silently leaving without a word and coming back when her dignity was rebuilt, but then her stomach growled in tune with the humming and she knew it would be best to just face the beast once and for all.

A smile and those hauntingly beautiful eyes met her the second she stepped into the kitchen, “Good morning, sunshine. Sleep well?” the mischievous spark in his eyes revealed he probably had heard her waking up. All her gasps and groans. His smile grew more insufferable and she was sure he had heard her. Saints damn him to hell and back. She shot him a glare and Nikolai’s smile only shinned brighter, “Don’t worry, love, happens to the best of us. Can’t blame you, though, that’s a fine whiskey.” He said and turned back to the counter, “Sit, breakfast is nearly ready.”

She hesitated, “I… I should just go. Mal is probably wondering what happened.”

Nikolai’s humming grew a little louder and turned into a still off-tune whistling just before he shook his head and looked back at her, “He texted you right after you blacked out. I replied with a simple ‘it got late. Staying at…’” he paused, visibly looking in his memory for the rest of the text. But Alina didn’t wait, panic already growing heavy beads of sweat on her palms.

She looked for the text, only mildly cursing herself for forgetting to add a lock code to her new phone, and sure enough there it was: “Sorry, the bastard didn’t show up and it got late. Staying at Genya’s.” She heaved a breath and thanked her phone for memorizing her most used excuse for when she worked until it was late in the night: Genya. Alina sent up a few prayers in thanks of having a friend that would, no matter what, back her up, even if she had never set foot in Genya’s house. She knew her friend would still confirm her presence there. It came in handy when Mal had a fit of jealousy…

“Genya!” Nikolai’s exclamation startled Alina and the phone nearly fell out of her hands. She looked up and saw a victorious Nikolai holding up a spatula and smiling proudly at himself.

“I’ve seen the text.” She deadpanned.

His smile didn’t waver a bit, “All right. Breakfast it is then!”  

“Look…” she searched for her bag, “I really can’t stay any longer.”

Only then did Nikolai’s smile falter, even if for a brief heartbeat, “Oh? I thought you wanted to discuss our marriage. This hurts, look at how far we’ve allowed the rift in our relationship go that we no longer talk about it! We no longer even eat together!” he cried in mock pain, a hand on his chest to add that sprinkle of flare to his dramatics. Alina rolled her eyes and sighed.

She would regret this. She would. But she would also regret not eating anything when she had such a terrible hangover haunting her insides. So, she sat. And rolled her eyes once more when she saw Nikolai’s expression of dismay change into one that could only be described as “kid’s face upon seeing under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning.”

She ignored the fact that it only made him look even more handsome.

Nikolai’s off-tune whistling resumed while he finished preparing breakfast and not a second after he was done, a plate of freshly made blini was being set in front of her. Alina’s mouth watered at the sight and smell of perfectly made blini. A mug of coffee and a carton of milk showed up right after and soon Nikolai was on the opposite seat, a plate of blini in front of him as well.

“Bon appétit!” Nikolai sang.

Alina shook her head and ate in silence, happy that this man was at least a good host. After a while, the two having settled into a comfortable silence, Alina set down her mug, “Did… did something… happen last night?” her voice was barely over a whisper, fear of what her drunken self might be capable of doing already building up the worst scenarios in the back of her mind.

The smile Nikolai flashed her was far from reassuring, “If you mean sex, then no, nothing happened. Not even a kiss.” He drank from his mug and hummed in delight, “Not that us doing any of the sorts would be so outrageous, considering that we’re married and all.” When her glare nearly singed his eyebrows, Nikolai only smiled, “Married couples do that sometimes, Alina. Don’t look at me like that. Hell, all couples do that sometimes. Married or not.”

Her glare didn’t waver. That is, until she realised she’d been staring into his eyes for far too long. Then, it dwindled until it was replaced by a healthy blush that made her wish to throttle the man sitting in front of her. Her breakfast was nearly done so she ate faster, suddenly eager to put some space between the two of them. There seemed to be a magnetic field around this man and she really, really didn’t want to be drawn into it.

In her haste, she missed the way Nikolai looked at her. As if he couldn’t quite believe the wonder that was sitting in front of him.

 

* * *

 

“Good morning, Genya.”

“Good morning, you sneaky girl!!” her friend screeched through the phone and Alina groaned in pain as her head threatened to fall apart. She spotted her car right where she’d left it the previous day and hastened her pace, doing her best to not look like she’d just spent the night in someone else’s bed. “Where have you been?!” Genya continued, her voice impossibly energetic. But then again, this was Genya. She was always impossibly energetic, no matter what. In fact, Alina could recall quite a few situations where Genya should have been dismayed or something like that and yet, she had been her usual, impossibly energetic self

“Well, huh…” Alina searched for her keys, those pesky things somewhere deep in the endless pit that was her purse, “I, huh… Aha!”

“What? You’re talking in riddles. Or better yet, in cryptic sounds. Come on, Alina. I had to cover for you, all I ask is for the truth.”

“Sorry!” she said, finally sitting in the safety of her car, “I was searching for my keys. And… About last night… it’s best I go over there and tell you in person. Unless you’re busy right now?”

“Of course you can come here!” a pause, filled only by Alina’s pained groan as her radio turned on with the keys and the sound was far too loud for her poor hangover self, “Alina…?”

“Yes?” she answered in a tiny voice, already expecting Genya’s correct guess.

“Are you… hangover?”

A full minute passed by before Alina uttered a tiny, regretful yes, to which Genya answered with a whoop and what sounded like “This is going to be good. We need to call the cavalry!” Regret and misery washed over Alina at the sound of the rushed words. Cavalry meant Zoya and Nadia. Cavalry meant being drilled over every single detail of her current situation. Including… Her “husband”. Maybe calling Genya hadn’t been such a good idea after all…

 

* * *

 

“Spit it out.” Genya demanded, settling a coffee mug right in front of Alina, with a little more force than necessary. The gleam in her eyes revealed this was her way to show she wouldn’t let this go. 

Alina’s breath came out in a defeated sigh as she nursed the mug with both her hands, eyes cast on the dark drink, obviously avoiding catching any of her friends’ eye. A throat was cleared. Wincing, she took a breath, “So huh… Mal and I went to the notary to take care of things, okay? And things were running smoothly until the notary found… something wrong.”

“Wrong?” Nadia inquired, once it was clear Alina would rather stare at her coffee than continue her tale. Out of her three friends, Nadia was the most level-headed and nicest one. Not that Zoya or Genya weren’t level-headed, or nice. Well, Zoya surely wasn’t the latter. But Nadia was what books would describe as the nice one. That friend that people always end up telling certain truths to.

And just like in books, Alina felt compelled to answer her friend, “It seems I’m already… married.”

Silence.

Alina could almost hear the sea crashing on the shore.

And then, “Married?!?” Genya shrieked, “What?! How??” She settled her mug with extreme force, rattling everything on the table. “Alina!”

“What?” She looked up, eyes bulging like a doe in headlights.

“When did that happen and why was I not invited?!”

Her panic shifted and Alina shot her friend a look, “Really, Genya? Do you really think I’d… elope? With a stranger?” that was absolutely ridiculous! She would never elope! Especially without saying anything about it to her friends.

Genya shrugged, “I don’t know. And he wouldn’t be a stranger, would he?”

“Come on, Genya.” She sighed, “It’s obviously a glitch, a big one that got me married to some guy I’ve never met. And because of that, I can’t marry Mal.” Unless she was interested in being charged for bigamy.

“All right,” Zoya said, arms crossed, her coffee all gone by now, “What happened then? You got so dismayed with the situation that you decided to raid a bar?” Her raised eyebrow was at a perfected angle that added the needed punch of sarcasm to her remark.

Alina rolled her eyes and sipped on her coffee, “No. I went looking for the guy. To talk with him and get him to go to the notary with me so we could… fix this!” she gestured vaguely at the table, as if the glitch was right there, waiting to be tried and jailed.

“So far I don’t see where you could have gotten drunk…” Nadia pointed. And Alina remembered Nadia wasn’t always the book classic nice one. Nope, sometimes Nadia was as fast at going for the kill as Genya and Zoya, put together.

Trying to buy some time, Alina finished her coffee, making sure to not drink too fast. Her friends’ china rattled on their plates as they finished their drinks and their patience began to wear thing, fingers drumming fast on the vintage wood. After a loud sigh, courtesy of Genya, Alina finally stopped stalling. She blew a breath, “I went after him. I found him.” She stopped, again.

“And…?” Zoya insisted.

“We talked and then he offered me a drink.”

Genya whistled impressed, “Wow that was fast.”

“It’s not like that.” She deadpanned, “He… He’s…” she threw her hands upwards, lost for words, “The guy’s unbelievable. He wasn’t taking things seriously. He joked about just meeting and already wanting the divorce.” Nadia chuckled, “And then he offered me a drink, insisting he wanted to at least know my name before we annulled the thing.”

“Huh huh, then what?”

“I… got distracted and drank too much.” She answered in a tiny voice, shame over her loss of control back to life. Saints, she really, really shouldn’t ever drink again. Ever.

“And…?” There was no need for more words, she knew what Genya was thinking.

“Nothing happened. I just… Got too tipsy to drive home. Nik—Sturmhond insisted on me staying over.” She cursed herself. So much for not revealing his name.

“Nik…? Does he have a full name or is that a secret you’ll take to the tomb?” Zoya arched her brow again, “And is he cute?” she added, her smirk growing sharper like a knife.

Alina felt a blush creeping up, “He’s name is Nikolai Sturmhond, all right? And I wouldn’t know.” She answered too quickly, suddenly wishing she’d gone straight home. The route this conversation was taking right now was far too slippery for her taste.

Genya laughed, “Ohhh… That means he isn’t just cute. He’s hot. With a capital H!” She caught Alina’s eye with a conspiratory wink, “Did you kiss?”

Her blush grew, if that was even possible by now, “What?! NO! Genya! I’m engaged to Mal!” her voice was pitchy, the complete opposite of what she would have liked. And now could her friends even think she would ever cheat on Mal? The guy she loved and was going to marry?

Genya shrugged and the other two girls just looked at Alina, “Yeah, but stuff can happen. Especially if you were alone with a guy that’s smooth, too hot to handle and can get you all worked up like that.” She pointed at her cheeks and Alina wished she could die. Her body had once again betrayed her, in a rather fantastic display.

Gathering the remaining of her confidence, Alina sat up straighter, “Nothing happened. I might have said his eyes were pretty enough to paint, but that was it!” She revealed, quickly shutting up Genya’s next retort, “And Mal is the love of my life! I would never cheat on him!!” the words came out in a shrill, again. Oh saints, she really needed a break. Maybe she should go home and sleep for forty eight hours. At least.

A snort met her words and she whirled on Zoya, “Really, Alina? The love of your life?” she added air quotes, her arched brow still in a disbelieving angle. Sometimes Alina wondered if that was Zoya’s secret superpower, to perfectly arch her brow in whatever tone she desired to arch it. First sarcasm, now pure disbelief.

“Come on, girls. Give her some slack.” Nadia, sweet Nadia, came to her rescue. She looked at Alina, “We believe you, we do. But you gotta admit… this whole story is just… the stuff of romcoms.” She finished with a shrug. The other two agreed and Alina couldn’t help but silently do the same. It really sounded like the starting point of a romcom. She wasn’t sure she liked that comparison.

Genya got up and collected the mugs, “So, what are you going to do now?”

Alina silently thanked her friend for stopping with the nonsensical inquiries, “Well. I’m going home to let Mal know I’m all right and tell him how things went. Then…” she shrugged, “I’ll have to take Sturmhond to the notary as soon as possible.” She tried to ignore the way it sounded as if she was talking about getting married and not fixing a glitch.

Nadia nodded, “Sounds like a plan.”

“A terrible plan…” Zoya added under her breath.

And Alina didn’t have a retort to shoot her way. Because… because her friend was right. This was a terrible, terrible plan…

 

* * *

 

“I’m home!” Alina called as the door clicked shut. She dropped her keys and purse absentmindedly and was ready to call Mal again when the bathroom door opened, revealing her fiancé. She instantly smiled, “Hey!”

His face remained set in an emotionless expression and Alina’s smile dropped an inch. “Where were you?” he asked. Was she imagining things, or did Mal’s tone sound accusatory?

“I… huh, went to meet the Sturmhond guy.”

Mal arched his eyebrow, “And you took all afternoon and night?” his tone was definitely accusatory.

“What?” her voice pitched a bit and she prayed to all saints that Mal didn’t notice it, “No! I talked with him, explained the situation and then Genya invited me over for a coffee. Turns out David was working late and so we ended up chatting through the night.” Lies, all lies, yes, but it’s not like the two friends hadn’t done the exact thing many, many times before. In fact, just a month ago Alina had spent the night at Genya’s after a long, long coffee. She was her best friend after all, there was no way the two would ever run out of things to talk about.

He nodded, seemingly pleased with her answer, “When are you going to take care of things?”

“What?”

“The marriage annulment, or divorce, whatever.”

“Oh! Right.”

“You’re going to fix that, right?”

Right. With everything that happened since Alina set her eyes on Nikolai, neither had planned a thing about the glitch. Nor had they traded any form of contact… “I… He was busy. So we kinda didn’t plan anything, yet.”

Mal’s eyes darkened, “Did you at least get his contact?” She bit her lip, shaking her head. Mal threw his hands up and groaned, “Really, Alina? It was a simple thing! How could you not do it?!”

“Come on, Mal. With all the shock and stress of this stupid glitch, you can’t blame me for forgetting simple things.”

“Whatever.” He grabbed his jacket and walked to the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Out.”

“But… We have the florist appointment in a couple of hours…” she said. They had waited for this appointment for weeks. Sure, it wasn’t like the bakery, which took months to get a meeting, but still… Alina had pulled some strings in order to get this florist to meet them. And now Mal was… not going?

He seemed to hesitate, a hint of regret on his face, but then he squared his shoulders and shrugged, “Sorry, I can’t cancel this thing. You go. Take one of the girls with you. I trust your choice.” He smiled. But it didn’t reach his eyes, nor did it make her feel better. And then he was gone. And she was all alone in their small apartment.

Suddenly her eyes felt hot with unshed tears. She quickly wiped them away, scolding herself for being such a cry-baby. No, this was nothing. Mal probably had just forgotten their plans. It didn’t mean a thing, not in regards to their wedding and certainly not in regards to their relationship. She shouldn’t let it affect her this much.

So, she set off to the bathroom to take a quick shower and change. Then she’d call Nadia. Yes, Nadia. The girl knew flowers like Alina knew colours and the cycles of the sun. And Nadia would be more than excited to help with such a task.

And Alina wouldn’t be alone.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp, anyone surprised Alina has a groom that will not attend meetings important for their wedding?
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling are the oil that keep the wheels in this head turning <3


	3. The One With The Sunflowers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flower picking and accidental hand touches

 

 

 

Nadia was late. Alina had gotten to the florist just in the nick of time, but, as she noticed right away, Nadia wasn’t around yet. So, the bride-to-be decided to wait a little longer. After ten minutes, a text had startled her. It seemed Nadia’s bus was stuck in traffic. She would be late. And then, just a moment later, she sent another text saying she had dropped off at the nearest stop and was going to walk to Alina. It would be faster, considering the bus seemed glued to the road.

Alina bit her lip, letting her worry take the best of her. She wanted company for this, but she didn’t want her friend to run the marathon unnecessarily. As if on cue, Nadia sent another text. She wanted to be there, it was no sacrifice, so she would be there. Knowing it was no use to worry too much or to try and change her friend’s mind, Alina sat on the bench just outside the greenhouse and waited.

“Good afternoon, sunshine.” She bolted right up at the sound of those three little words. Well, at the sound of that _voice_. Alina whirled on the source and sure enough, Nikolai Sturmhond was standing there in front of her. Smug smile on his lips, hazel eyes lit up in some private joke of his, hands tucked in his jeans’ pockets. The man was a sight, there was no doubt about it. But it was the scare that had her heart hammering so fast right now. Nothing to do with that smirk of his. Or his outrageously good looks.

“What are you doing here?” she breathed.

That smirk seemed to grow, “I was actually just walking by when I saw you. Well, your car.” He winked, “Your sunny yellow beetle.”

Alina’s cheeks heated up as she remembered the night before and the ridiculous things she’s said to him. She cleared her throat, “I… We forgot to plan the…” she waved her hand, “…the thing. The notary thing.” What was she doing? Stuttering? Right now?

Nikolai’s smile grew even more. Somehow, this man’s smile seemed to feed off of whatever she said. “Yeah, we really forgot that part. I guess I wasn’t ready to let go.”

Alina was about to wonder about his words when a lady came out of the greenhouse and called for her. “Miss Starkov! I was starting to think you were never coming!” she said as a way of greeting. Then she turned to Nikolai, her face ever so happily professional, “And this must be future Mr Starkov!”

“What? No! We—”

“Actually we haven’t decided on that name part yet. Call me Nikolai.” The insufferable bastard answered in her stead, offering a hand. The florist’s excitement seemed to… bloom. Alina wanted to die.

“All right then, how about we start this? I have quite a few suggestions for you two.” The florist said, herding them into the greenhouse.

 

* * *

 

“Now, I know it’s a common choice, but I always tell my brides that when in doubt, the Calla Lily is the best choice for their bouquets. It stands for beauty and magnificence,” she nodded to Alina, “and the colour white stands for purity and innocence. The look every bride wants.” She finished with a smile and moved on.

Nikolai smirked, as if privy to some inside joke only he knew of, but one look at the way he stole meaningful glances at the lilies and Alina knew just exactly what he found so funny. She instantly turned scarlet. Either out of anger at his assumption or embarrassment, she wasn’t really sure.

The florist went on and on, going through plenty of other common wedding choices of flowers. She pointed at chrysanthemums, which seemed to stand for fidelity and long life. She pointed at peonies and spent a good five minutes speaking of their meanings of happy life and happy marriages and how beautiful these flowers always looked in a wedding, no matter the theme, the place or the time of the year. She pointed at tulips and their almost perfect shapes and how these simple flowers were perfect for Alina’s wedding, their simplicity and meaning of perfect love like a match made in heaven. And on and on she went.

All along, Nikolai played the part of the perfect and silent groom to be, nodding every two seconds at the florist’s choices and comments on the wedding, winking in collusion at Alina whenever the woman turned away after saying something nearly cliché. Alina barely registered most of the suggestions, only vaguely taking mental notes on this or that flower. She kept thinking about the one person that should be present in that moment but wasn’t. An unexpected pang hit her heart and she wondered where Mal was and why he wasn’t with her. He’d never been much into details, only really noticing her looks when Alina had tried really hard to catch his attention and in a way that was the opposite of platonic. For a man that lived on noticing details in the forests, he was really blind when it came to women. Still… she really wanted to make these choices with him. It was, after all, _their_ wedding.

A pop of bright, sunny yellow caught Alina’s attention and her gaze fell on a far corner of the greenhouse.

“What about those?” she interrupted the florist and pointed at the sunflowers that seemed to the starring right back at Alina. As if she was the sun. Their sun. But that was a silly thought, of course.

The florist stuttered mid-sentence before quickly catching up with her client’s question. A professional smile and a steady pace and soon they were standing next to the yellow, sunny flowers, “The sunflowers! A bold choice, if I may say so, but it’s still a good one. Especially when you take in the varied meanings these ancient flowers have. Adoration, dedication, long life, good luck, happiness!” she listed, her voice growing with professional excitement. “But it’s not really the best choice for a wedding. Maybe one here or there, mixed with other better choices but—”

“I think my fiancé has made her choice, though.” Nikolai interrupted, his tone polite and educated, almost like that of a prince. The tone seemed to work its charm, the florist only quieting down.

“Alina!! I’m so sorry!!!” A flash of blonde crashed into Alina as Nadia finally arrived, “I’m so sorry!! But the damned bus was stuck in traffic and I couldn’t leave because there were no stops nearby but the cars wouldn’t budge and time was ticking!!” the words were fast and breathless as her friend apologized through a chokehold, “And I was really patient! Until I wasn’t and I literally paid for an extra ticket just so I could leave!” she finished, finally looking at Alina.

“It’s all right, Nadia!” she chuckled and returned the hug, “Don’t worry about it. What matters is that you’re here now.” A smile for good measure and just like that, Nadia’s worried expression faded into a happy one.

“Plus,” Nadia snapped her head as Nikolai spoke, her eyes almost falling out of their sockets as she saw the man for the first time, “Alina seems to already have chosen a flower.” Nadia looked back at Alina, mouth agape in shock. Nikolai offered his hand, “Nikolai Sturmhond. A pleasure.” His perfect smile shined through and still-silent Nadia just took the hand and nodded in acknowledgement before looking back at Alina.

Feeling a little too under scrutiny from her friend, Alina quickly introduced her friend, “Nadia, this is Nikolai.” She added a pointed look. Nadia’s shocked O turned into a knowing smirk. “Nikolai,” Alina continued, trying hard to ignore the looks Nadia threw her way, “This is Nadia, one of my best friends.”

Nikolai nodded, “Like I said, pleasure to meet you. I’m sorry to have taken your place today, but Alina here seemed a bit lonely standing outside all by herself.”

Nadia’s voice quickly returned, “Oh, don’t worry about it!” she eyed the florist, who had wandered away towards a couple that seemed lost and in need of help with the flowers. “So, what have you picked?”

“The sunflower. Much to the florist’s dismay” Nikolai answered, his insufferable smirk back in place.

Alina rolled her eyes, “I didn’t really make any final choice. I just… Well, it’s so pretty!” her fingers touched the yellow petals with adoration, “The florist pointed a lot of other wedding-appropriate choices that I’m sure you’ll know all about, but this one caught my eye the second I saw it.” Nadia smiled, her eyes shining with understanding. “So, if it’s not too much to ask… Can you help me out with choosing other flowers to go with the sunflowers?” she flashed her pretty-please smile. Nadia just rolled her eyes and nodded.

“Of course, Alina.”

 

* * *

 

“Well, that was fun.” Alina sighed as they finally left the greenhouse, flower orders all signed and ready for payment. In little over a month Alina would have a wedding filled with sunflowers. It sounded quite like heaven.

“Especially when you said you wanted other flowers to go with the sunflowers.” Nikolai added, shooting a playful look at the doors.

“Right. Anyway, this was nice and all, but don’t you have other things to do? Other places to go?” she said, trying to shoo him and his insufferable looks away from her. They did strange things to her insides. She didn’t like that.

Nikolai bowed, “Of course I do. But I remembered how desperate you were to fix this little…” his voice dropped to a conspiratory whisper, “glitch. And how in your hurry to leave my ship you forgot to leave any contact.”

“So what? You tracked me?” suddenly he wasn’t as good looking and charming as Alina had thought…

His eyes grew twice their size, “Saints no! I’d never! I just remembered you’d mentioned something about flowers when you talked about your car and your favourite colour.” He shrugged apologetically, “So I visited a few florists and asked about you.” He paused, “Yeah, it was a bit of tracking. But an honest and completely non-stalker-like kind of tracking.” A hand to the heart, “I swear on my mother’s life.”

Alina didn’t know what to say. For one, she was a bit mad that the meeting hadn’t been a complete coincidence, an arrangement from the universe. But she couldn’t deny that she was glad they’d met again. For glitch-solving purposes, of course. Nothing to do with his status of good-looking going back right up on her scale. Saints, she really hated that effect he had.

Short and black hair came to view. Tamar had rounded the corner and walked up to them, her golden eyes shining almost unnaturally. “Good afternoon.” She quickly said to all, though her gaze lingered on Nadia, who gained a healthy blush on her cheeks as their eyes locked. A car honked on the other side of the street, startling the four of them and the moment was lost. Tamar turned to Nikolai, “Are you ready?”

Ready? Alina frowned. Both Tamar’s presence and her question were so unexpected that her doubts made way out of her lips before she could even think of filtering her thoughts, “You two know each other?”

Nikolai’s gaze fell back on her and his hazel eyes sparkled with amusement and she got ready for whatever funny remark he’d throw her way. His smile turned innocent, “Yeah. Tamar and her brother are… colleagues of mine. And good friends.”

Alina was so surprised the hazel eyed idiot hadn’t taken the chance to tease her, she needed a full heartbeat to register his answer. “Oh. That’s nice.” She said, suddenly feeling like a gasping fish out of water.

“Yeah, it is.” Nikolai turned to Tamar and started to speak but quickly stopped and turned back to Alina, “By the way, Alina…” her name sounded too good when he said it, “I have a friend that works as a notary.” Her heart rate spiked at those words, “If you want, I can call him and see if he can help us.” The offer was honest and unexpected, but Alina didn’t miss the way his eyes dulled with each word. Why? They hadn’t known each other for long, why would be he sad over a separation? It was silly. But that didn’t stop Alina herself from wishing they had more time…

Forcing her happiest smile forward, Alina nodded, “Please do. This whole glitch thing has already given us so much trouble.”

He nodded and fished for his phone. As Nikolai dialled and waited for the call to be picked up, Alina didn’t miss the way Tamar and Nadia kept looking at each other, smile and look away when the moment became too intense. Alina wondered if the two wished they were alone. It would certainly improve with the flirtations. She cleared her throat, “Oh yeah. Nadia, this is Tamar. Tamar, this is Nadia.” She quickly introduced them, feeling incredibly rude for not doing so earlier. Nikolai had taken up too much space in her head already…

Her ‘husband’ cursed, “He’s not in town.”

Her heart fluttered and sank at the same time, if such thing was even possible, “What?”

“Yeah…” he seemed genuinely sorry, “I got through to his voicemail. Seems like he’s gone away for a family event of some sorts.”

“When will he come back?”

“Next week, hopefully. I’ll try and reach him later. Maybe by then he’ll pick up.”

She nodded, judging herself for not feeling entirely angry at the situation. It’s not as if Nikolai would disappear completely after they’d fixed their situation. If they got along so well, it was easy to keep in touch. Keep in touch… Oh! “Well, we should at least trade numbers. You can’t always stalk me around town.” She said, throwing him a pointed look. Nikolai had the decency to look ashamed, though his wounded gasp was obviously dramatized.

He handed her his phone and took hers in turn, “I wasn’t stalking you, Alina dear.” He said, quickly saving his number in her phone, “You must know that.” They switched phones again and their fingers brushed together for a fleeting second. Alina’s heart hammered so fast it had her wondering if a heart attack could be induced by accidental hand touches. Nikolai seemed unaffected, though his gaze lingered on hers for a second longer. Then, he looked away, breaking the moment, “Well, I have to go now.” He turned to Nadia and shook her hand, “It was really nice to meet you, Nadia.” His eyes found Alina again. He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it, his lips softly brushing her skin, “And it was wonderful to pretend to be your fiancé, Alina. Wonderful.” He said, voice thick with emotion. And then, before Alina could even utter a word, not that it was even possible considering she was shocked with the kiss, Nikolai bowed and walked away. Tamar said goodbye as well, winked at Nadia and followed him down the street.

“Woah…” Nadia breathed.

Alina shook her head, “Well, I wouldn’t say exactly that to a kiss on the hand, but it was certainly…” she trailed off as she noticed the way her friend blushed scarlet. She smiled, “Oh. That. You two seemed…” a shrug, “Well, like you wanted to be alone to flirt to your hearts’ content.”

The blush grew darker and Nadia pushed her shoulder, “Stop that. You’re being ridiculous.” She bit her lip trying not to smile, “Okay… I guess I wouldn’t have minded a better chance at flirting.”

“I knew it.”

“But you! You and him!” Nadia squealed, obviously changing the focus of their conversation away from her, “You two! Chemistry!” the blonde gestured between Alina and her phone, where Nikolai’s number and photo still showed. “Wait until Genya knows. She’s going to flip!”

Panic took over Alina’s already endangered heart, “What? No! Don’t! There was nothing between us. I’m engaged to Mal, remember?”

“Yeah. But since when has that stopped chemistry from happening?”

“Since that makes me unavailable.”

“Unavailable, but still able to talk with other people, I hope.” Nadia said, her words sounding a little worried. Then her smile lost its teasing edge, “Don’t worry, Alina. We know you’d never do anything to ruin your relationship with Mal. I was just teasing. Even if the chemistry is still there.”

“There’s no chemistry.” Alina insisted, feeling her own cheeks growing hotter and hotter.

Nadia nodded, as if she was just forfeiting this battle. Whatever Nadia thought, there was no chemistry between Alina and Nikolai. None whatsoever.

Nope.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thoughts/fangirling/comments are precious gems and keep the monsters under the bed, under it lol <3
> 
> also, look at Nadia, woohoo, you go girl!


	4. The One With The Swan Boat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cake tasting and swan boats. Good stuff amirite?

 

 

 

 

      >>Still no reply from my friend. Sorry, sunshine. I’ll keep trying. –Nikolai

            <<It’s nearly 2am. Couldn’t it have waited? –Alina

      >>Just thought you’d be wondering about him. My bad *angel emoji*

            <<Ofc I was wondering, but I was also sleeping!

      >>A thousand apologies, my lady. *angel emoji*

 

Alina rolled her eyes at her phone, the cold light looking a thousand times brighter in the dark of her room. After a minute of silence, she locked the phone and lied back on her bed. Her eyes had been closed for a second when the moment of peace was cut short as another buzz forced her up. The text Nikolai had sent made her happy to be alone for once.

 

      >>I’m going to bed now, sunshine. Sweet dreams. Hopefully with me as your co-star ;)

 

The man wanted to die, obviously. Why else would he be acting so insufferable and so late in the night?

Alina knew he was probably waiting for her snappy retort, but she felt vindictive over the lack of sleep. So, she turned off her phone and lied down, again. A wicked smirk curved her lips as she pictured Nikolai waiting and waiting for another opening. Probably waiting another chance to influence what she would dream that night. As if he could do that.

To the horror of her next morning self, she did end up dreaming with him after all.

 

* * *

 

The week passed by in a breeze. Between her work and meetings for wedding arrangements that took over all of her waking moments, Alina somehow still had time to engage in witty banter with Nikolai via texts. He’d started early in the morning after the first conversation with a photo of the sunrise and a caption that simply read ‘that’s you <3’. She’d tried to ignore him but after five long minutes, she ended up sitting down to send a witty reply of her own. They hadn’t stopped until she was standing in her office, getting ready for a day of work. And even then, Alina simply had needed to have the final word. Nikolai granted her the victory for the time being, sending back nothing but an angel emoji.

Today was cake tasting day. Alina had been looking forward to this day since Mal’s proposal. She simply had a sweet tooth that would never be satisfied, no matter what. It was also the same tooth that would gladly wipe off the face of the earth all herring to ever exist. But that was another talk.

However, Mal was still out of town, busy with whatever thing his boss had ordered him to do. He’d always send her a goodnight text, but that was it. He was still away.

And so Alina was left to fend for herself. Again. Not that eating delicious cakes was troublesome, but it was _their_ day. As in, a day for the two of them. It was important that something like their wedding cake was chosen between the two. What if she chose a cake Mal didn’t like? Or what if they found out he was allergic to an ingredient on the day of the ceremony because the idiot wasn’t around to taste it?

“Alina…” Genya gently bumped her knee, “Stop frowning, you’ll get all wrinkly for your wedding!”

Shaking awake, Alina looked at her friend, doing her best to shoo away her frown. After all, Genya had ditched her job to come to the cake tasting. Frowning was the worst way to appreciate her friend’s company and show how thankful she was. Especially since Genya was her fashion advisor. As in, all details on Alina’s wedding look would go through Genya’s makeup and fashion genius.

Heaving a sigh, Alina said, “Sorry Gen. I was just…”

Her friend offered a comforting smile, “I know. But don’t worry. I’m sure he’d be here if he could.” Somehow, Genya’s tone didn’t sound as convincing as the ginger probably wanted. But maybe Alina was just imagining it.

Either way, she shrugged and whispered a word of agreement just as a woman clad in baker attire came to their meeting, “Good afternoon ladies. Which one of you is Miss Starkov?” Alina raised her hand, “Ah, wonderful! I have already a set of cakes ready for you, all done with you and your future husband in mind.” She said directing them deeper into the bakery. Madame Kuya was a unique baker. Instead of asking for themes or the preferences of her clients, she gave them small forms that were in all ways personality quizzes. It was said she based each cake on whatever her clients answered in her forms and no cake was ever the same.

The tasting room was a small and quaint room. Fully decorated in off-white furniture, curtains and flowers of deep purples and bright blues added a special touch of colour. Soft, jazzy music played off from speakers hidden throughout the space and a small wind chime hung by the closed window. Alina supposed that on hot summer days the window would be ajar, letting in the wind that would play through the chime and add an extra touch to the room’s atmosphere. She could almost picture it in her mind.

Just as Madame Kuya set down four different slices of cakes, her phone rang, the sound of tinker bells echoing throughout the room. Her cheeks burned as other heads turned her way. How stupid! She had forgotten to turn off the sound! Cursing under her breath, Alina checked just who happened to have the worst timing ever.

 

      >>Hello, sunshine.

 

She rolled her eyes so hard it was a wonder she wasn’t seeing the insides of her skull. Nikolai. Of course. Why was she even surprised?

 

            <<I’m busy.

      >>I’m wonderful, thank you for asking.

            <<What do you want?

      >>Ouch, bad mood?

            <<NIKOLAI. YOU ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW OR I’LL GO WIDOW BEFORE YOUR FRIEND RETURNS!!!

      >>Now, now. No need for empty threats. I actually wanted to meet with you.

            <<Yeah? Sorry, but I’m BUSY. What did you want to meet for?

      >>My friend said he’s coming back in two days. There, meeting cancelled. You’re such a party-pooper Alina dear… :c

 

She rolled her eyes again, but stopped halfway through it when she saw the look Genya was giving her. _What?_ She mouthed.

_You’re smiling like an idiot!_ Genya mouthed back.

Alina’s cheeks heated up as she felt for the infamous smile. Sure enough, she was smiling. What the hell?

Ignoring her friend, Alina returned her attention to her phone.

 

            <<And you needed to see me in person just to say that? Thank you, btw.

      >>Yes. Because your company is worth it, sunshine.

            <<Yeah, whatever. I’m busy, ok? We’ll talk later. Thanks for the info.

      >>Any time, love <3

 

Her cheeks heated up once more as she read that final word. What was up with him and the loving nicknames? Not that she was complaining, they certainly had a charm that made her feel special, but… No. No! Alina mentally beat herself for going down that road. There was nothing charming to Nikolai Sturmhond calling her ‘loving’ nicknames. Nothing at all!

What was charming was the set of beautiful cake slices set before her, begging for her attention. So, she quickly dug in and shut down the door in her mind that had Nikolai’s name written on it. Cakes and Mal. That was all she would think of that day. Nothing and no one else. At all.

 

* * *

 

Another day passed, another text from Mal saying he was still busy.

Alina’s heart shrivelled with each text and each word. Their wedding was approaching and Mal nowhere in sight… She tried to convince herself it was normal for grooms to be this distracted, but… it was getting harder and harder to do so. Especially when all engagement photo shoots were all she did in the past few days. It’s not that she didn’t like those. In fact, she had the most fun with this type of shoots. There were no limits for creativity with those. But… Seeing all her clients so interested in their own weddings did send her mind spiralling into less pleasant fields.

It was ridiculous, she loved Mal. And he loved her too. Just because he was working, it didn’t mean he didn’t care.

“Marie?” She called her assistant.

A young brunette came rushing into the studio, “Yeah?”

“I’m going now. There’s nothing more scheduled for today, so I’ll go home and rest a bit before the dance lessons.” She announced, setting aside her camera and putting her flash and notebook in their respective drawers.

Marie nodded, “All right. I can take care of any emergency anyway.” She said with a proud smile. Marie had joined Alina’s tiny studio when shoots began piling on her. The young woman was an old friend of Nadia’s and she enjoyed photography a lot. While she wasn’t brilliant at it at first, she was an eager student and she helped a lot with the studio. In no time Marie was taking care of ID portraits and other smaller shoots while Alina would go out for the bigger, more troublesome ones. On occasion they would even go together. Marie was an asset to Alina’s little studio, there was no doubt about it.

A thankful smile tugged on Alina’s lips, “All right, Marie. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Monday, you mean.” Marie corrected with a smirk.

Oh, right. Even though tomorrow was Wednesday, Alina had decided to take the rest of the week off so she could take care of her wedding and, more importantly, go with her friends on a last-minute dress shopping. She had… left the dress for the nick of time… Genya was still planning her murder for Alina’s slip up. Any moment she could be dropping a piano over Alina’s head. Or poisoning her food. Or letting loose a vicious animal… The options were far and wide and Alina knew her friend would one day make her pay for forgetting such a crucial detail.

“Of course, Monday. I forgot.” She chuckled, “Take care then!”

 

* * *

 

      >>I expect you’re not busy now.

            <<…why?

      >>Meet me by the lake’s caffé in ten minutes time.

            <<Nikolai…

      >>NINE minutes ;)

 

She sighed. Whatever her plans for the afternoon, it was clear dearest ‘husband’ wasn’t about to let her enjoy them. After sparing a dejected look at her empty flat, she got up and grabbed her coat. The plans weren’t that big anyway. Watch TV, maybe read a bit… As insufferable as Nikolai could get, one thing was true. He was never boring. And perhaps she didn’t mind that much being distracted from her absent fiancé.

 

* * *

 

“You have got to be kidding me.” she threw a dirty look at Nikolai.

His innocent smile was nearly enough reason to push him into the water, “What? You don’t like it?”

Her eyes fell again on what was possibly the most ridiculous thing she had ever seen on the surface of Os Alta’s lake. A swan-shaped boat. White, pristine, its black eyes dotted with hand painted sparkles. Inside it, a two-person bench with red pillows and two pairs of pedals right in front of each seat. When Alina had left her house, she’d expected a coffee, maybe a walk around the park. Certainly not a trip in a swan-boat. She eyed the other swans waltzing around the lake. The water spread wide and far and its mirror surface was dotted with plenty of young and old lovers pedalling through, happy laughter carrying in the wind. “I’m not getting into that.” She finally said, certain that being caught within the boat in Nikolai’s company wouldn’t help her already complicated situation. If Mal ever heard of this…

Nikolai chuckled and hopped into the boat. He turned to her and offered a hand, “Come now, sunshine, you’re not really telling me you have better things to do?” His smile widened and Alina could have sworn it had shined, just like they did in animated movies. “And even if you have… I’m sure you’ve always dreamed of trying one of these. No! Don’t deny it, everyone loves the swan boats, cheesy or not.”  He quickly added when Alina tried to deny his claims.

Feeling like this was an already lost battle, Alina sighed in defeat and took his hand. It was warm and calloused, but what took her by surprise was the tender way that he held her. If she hadn’t known Nikolai lived in a boat, she would have guessed him to be a prince. Not the spoiled kind, but the kind that little girls and boys dreamed of, the famous, and very unreal, Prince Charming.

As they sat down, Nikolai seemed completely oblivious to the wild array of thoughts that crowded Alina’s mind during their brief touch of hands, “All right! You ready?” he asked, eyes shining with pure excitement. If she didn’t know better, she’d say it was Nikolai the one that had always dreamed of doing this. She rolled her eyes and nodded. It was all the insufferable man needed and soon they were pedalling through the cool lake waters.

-

The air was crisp, autumn creeping in through the trees, ready to settle. All over the park children ran and screamed in excitement, their parents in tow, running and screaming in worry. Couples of all ages and paths of life walked around or sat in benches, eating snacks, kissing or just talking beneath the ancient trees’ shade. Alina looked around, taking in the relaxation the park and its park-goers offered.

“So,” Nikolai started after a few minutes of silent pedalling, “Tell me more about the mystery that is you, Alina.”

The million dollar question. The question that no one ever knew how to answer when asked. She glanced his way, making sure her glare was pointed and stinky. Nikolai arched an eyebrow unfazed. She sighed, “What do you want to know?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Tell me about anything. Things you love, things you hate. Your hobbies? Your thoughts on herring?” He enunciated each random question with a flourish of the hand, just like a circus presenter.

Alina made a face at that last suggestion, “Bleh, absolutely hate herring. I cannot believe it’s such a loved… food.” She said, avoiding her preferred word: trash.

Nikolai burst into laughter. The sound was bright and carefree, like that of a kid and Alina stopped breathing for a moment. She had expected him to just chuckle or maybe snicker, not… this. It made her insides do things she couldn’t understand. It made her want to laugh with him. It made the corners of her lips tug up as the laugher threatened to actually spread to her. It made her desperate with confusion. Finally, his laughter subsided to a light chuckle and his hazel eyes fell on her, “Truly, Alina? I have to say, I’ve never met anyone that hates herring with such burning… hatred.”

She looked away, growing uncomfortable with his gaze, “Yeah, get used to it.”

“All right. Well, I can’t say I hate herring… But I admit I’ve grown tired of it, after having my mum and nanny feed it to me every day since I was a little boy.”

She scoffed, “Yeah, right.” 

“Truly! But enough of herring,” he turned the direction of the swan towards the centre of the lake. Alina arched an eyebrow, he wanted to stretch this for a while, didn’t he? “Tell me more.” Nikolai added, voice brimming with curiosity.

Normally, Alina would consider such nosiness worthy of snarky remarks and no real answers, but there was something about Nikolai that made her… Honest. Made her want to talk with him for quite some time. “If you really need to know, I’m a photographer.”

He pursed his lips, deep in thought, “Really? I thought you were a painter.”

“Huh, why?”

He shrugged and flashed a smirk that made her cheeks grow just a tad pinker, “Because you said you’d love to paint my eyes. I imagined you were talking about painting.” He paused, “Unless you meant makeup. Which I’m perfectly fine with, but painting is more… romantic.”

Her cheeks grew hotter as flashes of their first meeting came back. Right, paint his beautiful eyes. She really had said that… Saints, how drunk had she been? She shook her head, “I am a photographer, by profession. But I also paint, as a hobby.” She cleared up, shoving away the way her heart had skipped a beat when he’d said ‘romantic’. Nikolai nodded, it was her turn now, “What about you? Hobbies? Job?”

A group of kids passed by in a boat, all in sync as they rowed through the lake. Nikolai followed them for a moment before answering, “I repair and restore boats, as a job. But I generally just really love to tinker and fix things.” He said, happiness all over his words. From the looks of it, Alina imagined that all this man needed to be happy was a box full of tools and something to fix. It didn’t sound too bad of a dream, not at all.

“Where did the boats come from?” He arched a brow questioningly at her. “I mean, why boats and not… I don’t know, cars?” She cleared up, once more avoiding eye contact when it became too much for her.

Nikolai leaned in, “I love the sea. I love its scent, its vastness, its freedom. Boats, ships, yachts… they offer me a way to enjoy it. It’s like the best of both worlds.” His smile was almost cheeky.

Alina rolled her eyes, “Please don’t sing.” Already she remembered the faint off-tune humming of his. It wasn’t bad, but she didn’t want the insufferable idiot to know she kinda liked it. She also really didn’t want him to lean in so close, his presence in her personal bubble making her feel… things.

He chuckled, “All right. I won’t. You’re missing on my wonderful singing voice, though.” They paddled in silence for a few more moments until Nikolai turned to her again, “What about family? Do they know of our… status?”

She shrugged, that old hurt from being an orphan long gone by now, “Wouldn’t know. They gave me up for adoption when I was a baby.” Nikolai’s smile vanished. “I grew up in an orphanage. A good one, though.” She sighed, “It wasn’t all bad. I got access to school, to arts, to places. No one ever adopted me, but I didn’t really mind. I did have nice families that had me for the holidays though.” She smiled openly, “That’s how I met Genya, my best friend. Her parents took me in when I was seventeen. Just for Christmas. But we all got along so well, they eventually decided I should stay until I was of age.”

Nikolai remained silent for a while. She wasn’t sure if it was pity that kept him wordless or if he was trying to digest all of her information, but she was glad he didn’t go straight to pitiful looks. Finally, he let out a deep breath, “I’m sorry, Alina. It must have sucked…” She was surprised with his tone, as if he somehow understood what not having parents meant.

She shrugged, “It’s nothing. I don’t really care about it anymore. At least I got to meet my fiancé and my best friend.”

“He… he was there too?” was it her, or had his voice turned colder?

Not knowing what to do about it, she ignored the change in his tone, “Yeah. Grew up with him.” But, she wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about Mal with Nikolai, so Alina searched for something else to talk about. “What about your parents?” she winced, already regretting her idiotic self. Something about Nikolai’s reaction to her tale had told her he understood, so why had she gone for that topic?

“Heh, it’s complicated. My mother wants me to be like her, which isn’t necessarily bad, because she loves me. But I’m not her, you know? My father… Well, which one should we talk about?” he asked, his smile cold and bitter. “Because we must choose one before continuing.” Alina wished she could just backtrack and erase any talk of parents between them. Go back to the easy banter that had the two smiling and rolling their eyes. Well, her eyes. And Nikolai smiling.

“We don’t have to…” she started but Nikolai waved it off.

“It’s fine. I just… Yeah… The man I grew up thinking to be my terrible and absent father turned out to not be my real father. Only my older brother’s. It’s fitting, they’re both self-absorbed and have no respect for women.” He said, vitriol coating his words. “My real father is, according to my mum, an old flame of her past.”

“Wait…” she stopped, mind already whirring with the implications of his words.

Nikolai chuckled, “No, she didn’t. My absent excuse of a father married my mum after he divorced my brother’s mother. Mum was already pregnant with me. But he didn’t know until later. Which lead to a loveless marriage where he did trashy stuff everywhere under the guise of being rich and powerful, and my mum lived her life, ignoring him as best as she could.” He stopped, closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, “She divorced once she had hard evidence of his cheating and brute self. Best day of our lives.” He finished with a bittersweet smile.

Alina opened her mouth to speak but she was at a loss for words for a long time. Finally, after what felt like centuries of silence, she found something to say, “What about… You know.” It was something else to say, but who had said it was better?

Nikolai shrugged, “I have no idea. I was lucky enough to get the whole tale out of my mum. I think he’s still around. I think she’s still in love with him. But I… I think my mum’s afraid of picking up that thread of her life.”

“Wow… We really have the worst of luck with parents, huh?” she wondered, staring into space.

His laughter broke through once more, chasing away the less happy tones of their conversation. He laughed for long, until it was nothing but a wheezing, until he had tears streaming down his face, until Alina herself was doubling over with laugher. “We really do!” he said through gasps, as he tried to put some air in his lungs and his face grew purple.

The laughter subsided and soon there wasn’t much more than hurt stomachs, faces stuck in grins and heavy breathing. “The fact that we’re in a swan only makes all of this feel even more surreal.” Alina said, shooting a pointed look at the boat’s head.

“I think it’s magical.” Nikolai countered, resuming his pedalling. “Tell me more about your work. Do you like what you do?”

All at once, her face broke into the happiest of smiles, “I do. I love it so much. Photography is such a wonderful medium. Kind of like painting, where we can save pictures for ever, but… different. Which is why I love both.” She resumed her own pedalling, “I have my own studio, even if it’s not much. It’s tiny and I work enough to pay off bills and buy goods and the occasional treat. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” She added, “Still, it would be nice if I had a big break.”

“Like what?”

“I dunno. A big job for a magazine, some big personality asking me to shoot them. Traveling magazines would be the dream. Imagine, traveling the world as your daily job.” She awed, half-lost in her daydreams.

“Indeed.” Nikolai agreed, his voice sounding every inch as lost in daydreams of traveling the world as she was.

Feeling self-conscious under his gaze, Alina shook her head and cleared her throat. “Yeah, but it’s not likely to happen. Which is fine, since I love what I do and it allows me enough freedom to stay true to myself.”

She dared a glance at her companion and her heart leapt into a frenzy when she saw the intensity with which he looked at her. Picking the look apart and trying to understand it was something Alina did not want to do right now. It was… far too complicated. Clearing her throat yet again, she looked at her watch and a panicked gasp flew, “Oh no. It’s getting late.”

“Already?” he sounded almost miserable. And she almost changed her mind about leaving.

Almost.

“Yeah, I got things planned. Can’t miss them. Sorry.” She offered a smile. She really was sorry. Even if the guy had the ability to be as insufferable as they come, Nikolai was good company. It saddened her more than expected to leave his side.

He nodded in defeat, the gesture exaggerated with a droopy pout, “All right. I’ll take us back.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay big chapter! :D because alina and nikolai paddling a swan boat is something that needed to happen ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling are the currents that keep these stories flowing to the sea of published stuff!!


	5. The One With the Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dancing classes!!

 

 

 

Dancing was one of those things Alina had always loved. To watch.

But to do the dancing herself? Only if her life depended on it, and even then… Well, she truly hoped her life never came to depend on her dancing skills.

She eyed the room, her gaze mixed with nerves and bitterness. This was supposed to be a thing done by a pair, not her alone. But Mal was still away and even if she could easily have cancelled her classes, Alina did want to look good on her wedding day. So, she still showed up. So far she had learned basics that could easily be practiced either alone or with one of the nice elder attendants. Today she hoped to dance with Alexei. He was a painter just like her and his artsy talks always helped her relax a bit with the dancing nerves.

“Fancy seeing you here.” A breath tickled her ear and Alina yelped, jumping at least a meter in the air.

“Nikolai!” She hissed, offering apologetic smiles to the surrounding crowd. With more force than necessary she pushed his shoulder, putting all her anger over the scare into her fist. Nikolai just chuckled, barely losing balance. “What are you doing here?” she bit out through gritted teeth.

His smile was as innocent as a baby’s, “Why, dancing of course. What else?”

She rolled her eyes, “Not what I meant.” A deep breath, as per tradition whenever Nikolai was around, “Are you following me?”

“Alina,” he placed a hand over his heart and shut his eyes in mock-pain, “You wound me. Right in the depths of my heart. Truly.” When she remained silent, Nikolai sighed and opened his eyes again, “Alina, sunshine, I spent the whole afternoon in your company. In your wonderful company, might I add. Why would I follow you here?”

“I don’t know!”

“Well, neither do I. No, Alina, I wasn’t following you. I just come here sometimes.”

“Don’t tell me you can’t dance.” She deadpanned. If there was something impossible to believe in, it was the possibility of Nikolai _not_ knowing how to dance. Somehow, she just knew he was good at it.

His smirk confirmed her thoughts, “Of course I can. But the owner is a family friend and sometimes I come here as a spare dance partner.” He undid a button of his shirt, “And the people here are wonderful company.”

A brow arched in doubt, “Really?”

He opened his mouth, but his answer was shot down as the dance teacher waltzed into the room and started ordering the pairs around, “Look alive people! This is a dance class, not church on Sunday!” she turned on her spot, skirts flowing in perfect waves of bright blue shades, “Tonight we’ll work on the waltz. So ladies and gentlemen, partner up and get ready.” She clapped twice and walked up to the music player.

Alina looked around once more. Alexei wasn’t here tonight. A hand appeared out the corner of her eye, “May I?” She didn’t want to, but Nikolai’s eyes shined with hope and excitement. Her heart hammered in her chest in response to his call. She nodded faintly and took his hand. She did her best to ignore the way her body went crazy when Nikolai held her hand like that.

With a deep breath, she placed a hand on his shoulder and waited for his lead. It would be a long night.

 

* * *

 

Despite her worries, dancing with Nikolai hadn’t been as hard as she had let her wandering heart believe. He was just another partner. One much younger than her usual and much more flirtatious as well, but still just another partner. After two nights of dance classes with him as a constant presence, Alina had grown used to being so close to the man.

At least, she thought so.

“Very well, very well. Follow the flow, the rhythm. Let the music guide you.” The teacher spoke as she weaved through the couples, stopping here and there to correct poses and show how certain steps were done. Once happy, the woman carried on, her watchful eyes always on a dancing pair.

“You’re getting good at this, Alina. By the time your fiancé returns, you’ll be the one teaching him.” Nikolai said, sweeping her through two stumbling couples.

Alina’s step faltered at the mention of Mal but Nikolai didn’t notice her slip up. Or at least, he pretended not to. “I’m not good at this. I just manage to not step on your feet.”

His insufferable smirk announced trouble, “Exactly what I mean, sunshine.”

She shot a deadly glare and purposely stepped on his foot. His wince was priceless. His proud smile was nerve-wrecking. “Stop that.” She said, looking away when the hazel of his eyes became too enticing for her.

“Stop what?” his tone was so innocent, she could have believed he didn’t know what he was doing.

“Flirting with me. I’m engaged, remember?”

“Technically, we’re married. As such, it’s only natural that I flirt once in a while with you, Alina.”

She sighed, there was no way around it was it? They _were_ married. Yet, she was still engaged to marry someone else. Someone that should be there but wasn’t…

“Either way, sunshine, we’re just dancing. Nothing wrong with that.” His eyes looked for hers, no doubt an attempt at chasing away her frown. She avoided for as long as she could, but when Nikolai started to bob his head back and front and up and down, Alina found it nearly impossible to not look his way and laugh. “Ah, there she is.” Nikolai congratulated himself just as the song built up and he twirled the two in a big swooping movement that made Alina’s dress flow in their wake. With a warning nod, Nikolai let a hand go and Alina twirled away from him, shooting her free hand out as gracefully as she had practiced. The pride that shined in Nikolai’s eyes told her she was doing just fine. Another nod, the song approaching its final chord. A pull of the hand and Alina was twirling back into Nikolai’s arms.

The recorded orchestra finished with grandeur and Alina found herself staring into Nikolai’s beautiful eyes. They were so close now, so close his hot breath tickled her parted lips. Her heart ran wild after all the dancing. Nothing to do with how close to a kiss they were, nothing to do with how much she wanted to lean and give in. Nothing at all. Nothing…

Nikolai took a deep breath and Alina gasped a sorry before bolting out of his arms and out of the dance school. She didn’t spare a look behind, not until she was inside her car and driving away. Not until she could no longer even see the street where the school was.

Her heart was beating so fast, she felt as if it could outrun her.

Too close. They had gotten too close.

Far too close.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short chapter I'm afraid hehe ^^' STILL I HOPE YOU LIKED IT :D
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling keep the malarias away ;D


	6. The One With The Wedding Dress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wedding dress day woohoo! But wait, an unexpected visitor...?

 

 

 

The day was finally here.

The dress day.

Genya had been nagging on Alina twenty four seven on how she needed to pick a dress as soon as possible. On how, in spite of Genya being a brilliant seamstress and offering her talents to do the fitting of whichever dress the bride-to-be chose, Alina couldn’t leave the trip to the bridal store to the final days.

Alina had nearly done just that. Oops.

A few days after that fatidic dance with Nikolai, Alina had finally gone to the shop. It was a welcome distraction when her nights were filled with dancing with him. In spite of not wanting to be that close to the hazel-eyed man again, Alina hadn’t been able to avoid the dance classes. And when she returned the next day, there he was. The first half hour had been awkward, the two barely able to look at each other for more than two seconds, but once the ice had thawed… Once the ice had thawed, it was as if it had never been there. Just like that they were back to their old dynamics. With a faster heartbeat on Alina’s side.

And today, today all the girls were gathered in a nook in the shop. Genya, Zoya, Nadia and Alina, of course. It was a small but elegant shop, walls of a variety of pastels, each room with its own shade. Plush couches and armchairs were the preferred choice of furniture with off-white armoires here and there. Paintings and framed photographs of previous clients littered the walls, each with a frame different from the previous. Soft, jazzy music played at the lowest audible volume as the air was filled with a sweet perfume.

“Come on Alina, come out!” Genya’s voice was demanding, almost like a child’s.

With a final look at the mirror, Alina sighed and stepped out of the dressing room. She wasn’t a fan of this dress. In the hanger it had looked all right, but on her? Not so much. As she turned to her friends and walked up to the little stage and mirror thingie, Alina noticed the way her friends plastered on their best fake smiles. Yup, they didn’t like it either. She faced her reflection and grimaced. “I look hideous.”

Zoya was the first to break the fake smile, agreeing with a short and dry ‘obviously’. Genya smacked her arm in response. “Alina,” she started, “You don’t look hideous. The dress just cuts in the wrong places, that’s all. The neckline makes your neck look small and by extension…”

“Me.” She finished the sentence. Being petite had never been an issue, in fact, Alina had always said she was like all the good things in life, small and portable, easy to take anywhere. But this dress made her proportions look completely off. The waist line, paired with the terrible neckline did no favours to her figure. “Off to the next choice.” She said without waiting another beat.

“Put on Zoya’s pick!” Genya called behind her.

Without many other choices, she did.

“See, I knew it would look good on her.” Zoya said, triumphantly once Alina was standing in front of them.

The girls agreed and so did Alina. But the dress was far too formal for her taste. With a mermaid cut and a bustier that looked a little too tight for a church wedding, the dress did look fantastic on her. Except it was a cut that Alina would never wear, not really. Zoya? Yeah, for sure. And Genya as well. But Alina? No. Even if it did look great on her. It just wasn’t… her.

“I don’t think she likes it that much.” Nadia said, her ever watchful eyes noticing the single wrinkle between Alina’s eyes.

Genya pressed her lips, “Come on, spit it out.”

She sighed, “It’s not that it’s not a great dress, I just… it’s not what I’m looking for. Thanks for the suggestion, though.” She added, throwing an eternally-grateful smile at her blue eyed friend. Zoya nodded once in acknowledgement and took a sip of her champagne. Well, that was a far better reaction than Alina had expected. She eyed her reflection once more before looking back at her friends, “I think I’m going to try that dress I saw on the rack on our way here.”

Genya arched a brow, “Which one?” She knew why her friend’s tone was disbelieving. Even though Alina had a sense of fashion, her first three choices of dresses had been terrible. It didn’t bode well for her fourth choice.

“You didn’t see it.” She quickly said, “And I tried those two you chose, and I still have Nadia’s to try, yes. But…” she wrung her hands, “I really want to try it.” She wasn’t sure why, but something about it made her desperate to try it on. Something about it felt… meant to be. She desperately hoped she was right.

Genya opened her mouth, but it was Nadia who spoke, “Go on and try it, Alina. I won’t be mad if you don’t try mine.”

She smiled, “Nadia, you’re an angel. Can you get it while I put on yours?” Nadia had seen her playing with the dress, so she knew which one Alina was talking about.

“Sure! Was it the tulle skirt one?”

“Yeah, but not the long one. The shorter one.”

Nadia nodded and walked away, leaving behind a puzzled Genya and a half-curious Zoya.

 

* * *

 

This was it. She hadn’t seen her full reflection yet, but… Alina felt it in her bones. The way the dress fit her, even if it needed a touch from Genya’s… The skirt was too short for the church, yes, but with Genya’s magical touch… All she needed was a well fitted overskirt and it would be perfect for the ceremony. An overskirt with golden trimming. Yes, it was perfect.

Gasps from her friends announced the winner as she stepped into her spot and turned to the mirrors. She stopped breathing. It was perfect. Natural waist, off-white with golden embroidery on the waist-line, V-neck with spaghetti straps and a semi-full A-line skirt that fell right below her knee. With the right shoes, the overskirt and some golden hair accessory, she could already envision herself during the wedding. She bit her lip before looking at her friends in the mirror. The second she did, all broke into hushed squeals of excitement and tears of joy. In between squeals and words of excitement, Alina managed to ask her friend for the seamstress magic. Genya agreed even before Alina had finished telling her idea.

“Right this way, sir.”

Hazel eyes. Her gaze instantly locked on his in the reflection and all the world seemed to stop. What was he doing here?

“You must be the mysterious Nikolai!” Genya said without missing a beat. She greeted him and turned to Alina, “Sorry, Alina. He called while you were getting dressed. I told him to come here.” She flashed her best smile, the one that always made Alina quit any murder plans she might have been harbouring, “Hope you don’t mind.”

Mind? Oh no, she didn’t at all. In fact, considering her heart had stopped beating, minding Genya’s meddling was probably the least of her problems. Her heart… Oh saints, where _was_ her heart? Shouldn’t it be beating if she were to stay alive? It shouldn’t disappear at the sight of Nikolai.

And Nikolai… He looked at her as if in a trance. His eyes were wide and lost between holding her gaze and roaming her figure. His hands seemed unsure whether to stay inside his jeans pockets of out of them. And his lips, his lips were parted ever so slightly, as if the sight of her had surprised him as much as his had surprised Alina. Finally, Nikolai seemed to decide on where to lock his gaze. Her eyes.

Oh, she found her heart. There it was. Beating so fast and so hard, she was certain anyone that looked at her chest would see its shape poking out every half second. And the second they saw it, they would instantly make the wrong assumptions about her feelings for the only man in that room.

“I have to say,” Genya spoke, breaking through the spell that kept Alina and Nikolai looking at each other, “You’re much better looking than she had told us.”

It took Nikolai a long moment before he looked away and faced her friend. His insufferable smile, however, was there on his lips as fast as lightning, “Thank you, Genya.” He shot Alina a playful glance, “Alina dearest tends to not speak everything that goes in her mind, so I’m not surprised.”

Decided to stop any talk that could have her friends drilling Nikolai for information, Alina turned to them, “What…” she cleared her throat, “What are you doing here?”

His smile turned honest, though it kept that playful edge, “I came with news on our… status. My friend from the notary is back. We can go there first thing on Monday.”

“Oh!” she fluffed her skirt, making sure no one saw the way her smile didn’t really reach her eyes, “Couldn’t you have said that through the phone?”

Nikolai cut a look at Genya, “ _She_ didn’t let me. I was only able to say my name and that yes, I was close by. The call was cut right afterwards.” He looked at Nadia and Zoya, the two watching the scene with open curiosity, “I’d say someone here really wanted to meet me.”

“Of course she did that.” She said, not surprised, not even a bit, at Genya’s stunt.

A moment passed before Nikolai spoke again, his eyes once more locked on hers, shining with something Alina couldn’t quite pin down, “I should go now. I have business to attend.”

She nodded, “Sure. Thanks for telling me the news.”

Nikolai nodded back and said goodbye to each girl. He was halfway out of the small room when he turned back and spoke, voice breathless, “You look beautiful, Alina.”

Oh.

That was… Well… Huh… She couldn’t stop looking at him, not when he said that, and not until she couldn’t no longer see him through the people in the shop and the dresses and the glass windows.

“Wow, Alina. Married to that? Damn.” Zoya said, breaking the silence. She got up and refilled her glass and Nadia’s. Genya was still holding on to hers. Alina barely noticed it all, her eyes still on the last place she’d seen Nikolai.

“I know. He isn’t just cute or hot with a capital H. He’s drop dead gorgeous. The kind of stuff that fairy tale princes are made of, to be honest.” Genya said.

This was getting too much. Nikolai showing up, Nikolai looking at her that way, Nikolai saying that and now her friends trying to drill and tease her for information. No, she wouldn’t let them. She shook her head and turned her attention back to her friends, “Back to the dress!” she put her hands on her hips, “Are you sure you can do all the alterations Genya?”

Genya paused, drink halfway to her open lips. She seemed tempted to stay on the topic that was Nikolai. Alina got ready to take out the big guns if it meant they stopped talking about him. Then, the ginger smiled and nodded, “Of course, Alina. It’s me!”

“Great!” she couldn’t help the happy smile that curved her lips, “Then I guess I found my dress!!” She announced, happy as a bird. Her friends cheered and got up to congratulate her, enveloping her small frame in a tight group hug.

Happiness bubbled through her. She’d found her dress. At last.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> were you expecting the estranged fiancé? xD
> 
> hope you enjoyed this!! I loved imagining alina's dress and that moment alina and nikolai locked eyes *dreamy sigh*
> 
>  
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling always appreciated and hanging on my walls cuz y'all are such darlings <3


	7. The One With The Lingering Doubt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The glitch is fixed. Mal is back. Yet Alina feels as though something is off.

 

 

 

Weekend came and went in the blink of an eye. On Saturday, she saw Nikolai again, the two meting as usual at the dance class. She wondered if he was such a constant presence in the school as she’d initially thought. But that was silly. If he wasn’t so regular a visit, surely… surely his visits couldn’t have increased just because of her, right?

Her wandering mind, however, was forced to stop wondering so much as soon as Mal returned. Work had been chaos, but good. He’d missed her. He hoped she’d been able to take care of things without him. He seemed… better.

Now, it was time.

Time to be single again. So she could get married.

Nikolai was currently calling his friend, hoping the two didn’t have to actually wait for their turn. After a few moments, he finally reached through. They were in.

Through backdoors and twists and turns, Alina and Nikolai found themselves sitting in front of a stack of papers, ready to sign wherever needed. Alina tried to probe the man on the other side of the desk into finding out just how exactly the glitch had happened, but he dodged her every single time. She wasn’t sure if he was avoiding the question or if he simply hadn’t bothered with looking. A glance at Nikolai and she knew he’d noticed the notary’s attitude. Yet, he said nothing.

Perhaps he just wanted to be done as fast as possible, just like her.

So why… why did that possibility make her heart shrink a bit?

Fifteen minutes and a stack of papers signed later and Alina and Nikolai were finally… single.

He let loose a breath, hands in his pockets, eyes cast upwards to the cloudy sky, “Congratulations, Alina, you’re no longer my wife.” He smiled, yet it seemed as if it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

She nodded, “Yeah, we’re finally free to continue with our lives.”

Silence settled, the two searching for something to say. It was nice to meet you? No, that was cold and so not what she meant. Wonderful being married to you? Hah… Everything felt too strange, too alien…

“Are you…”

“I…”

The two stopped, words halfway out. Nikolai smiled and waved her to continue. She shook her head, “You go first.”

He paused, his eyes locked on her as if trying to memorize every single line, freckle, shape, colour… Then, “Are you going to be ok?”

Surprised, she hesitated before answering, “Of course.”

“You see, we were married for a bit, I can’t help but worry about you.” He sighed, “I just want you to be happy, Alina.”

Oh. “I will.”

He took a deep breath and looked around, “Well, I guess that’s that. Hum,” he scratched his nose, “I’ll see you tonight?”

Tonight? Oh, the dance class. She winced, “Yeah, hum… No, Mal is back… I… We should really practice together…”

“Oh, that’s all right.” Nikolai said, his tone casual even though Alina felt like she’d seen his eyes shutter, “You two have fun.” He made to leave but the next second his lips were on her cheek. The kiss was brief and just a flutter. Yet her skin burned like it had never burned before. “I’ll see you around, Alina.”

 

* * *

 

Dancing with Mal was… Well, it certainly wasn’t the same as it had been with Nikolai. Something was off, missing. Maybe she was just already too used to the dance. She really shouldn’t judge her fiancé too soon. He just needed extra practice. Lots of it. Like she had before.

But even as she tried to convince herself of that, even the dance teacher seemed to notice the difference, as she was so vocal about it when the two crossed paths in the bathroom. “Ah, Miss Starkov. Where’s your partner? You two seemed to be so good together.”

“Nikolai? Oh, he was just… Mal is the one. Nikolai was just helping.”

“Ah yes, Nikolai. It had been a while since I’d seen him around. I really thought he was the one.” Somehow, Alina felt as if they weren’t talking about dance partners… “Well, I suppose… Mal, right? Mal should practice a lot more if you two want to look good at your wedding.” The teacher left, shaking her head, mumbling to herself things that sounded a lot like a shame.

Alina was left behind stunned, completely at a loss with this exchange of words. A shame? The… one? What…?

 

* * *

 

“Alina?” Genya called, her voice far, far away.

She shook herself awake and looked back at her friend, “What?”

“I was just asking what you think of the dress.” Genya cleared up, pointing at Alina.

Blinking away shameful thoughts, Alina looked down and inspected the overskirt. It was just like she’d imagined. Soft, off-white tulle, sprinkled with gold everywhere, the effect thickening as it approached the hem. It looked like pure gold was showering her. She twirled on her spot and watched as the gold shimmered under the afternoon light. Stopping herself before she got too dizzy, Alina smiled a wide and ecstatic smile at her friend, “I love it, Genya. It’s perfect!”

With a victorious clap, Genya mirrored her smile, “Fantastic! Then you, young lady, have your dress all done and ready to walk down the aisle!” At that, Alina’s smile faltered a bit. Genya noticed the change and frowned, “What’s wrong Alina?”

She was being silly, of course she was. But… Maybe… Maybe if she talked with someone, maybe if she voiced her troubling thoughts… Maybe she’d be able to get back on track. Maybe. Biting hard on her lip, Alina stepped down from the little stool, “Genya… How did you know David was the one?”

Genya paused, watching as she sat down in the middle of the living room’s sofa, “Alina… Is everything all right?”

“Genya…” she sighed, “Please, just… Tell me?”

“All right,” she said and put away her tools before sitting down by Alina’s side, “Well… I don’t really know. How does one know that? Hum… With David I guess it was when I realised that no matter what crazy shenanigans he found himself in, I would always love him.”

“That’s it?”

“Well, no. David makes me feel special, but at the same time… He lets me be me. You know? He’s not your average guy, but unlike those, he appreciates all of me, flaws and all.” She pointed at a scar that ran close to her eye. “As cliché as that sounds, David loves all of my sides and he never, ever tries to get me to change. Well,” she nudged her friend, “Unless he’s in the mood for love, if you know what I mean.”

Alina made a dramatic disgusted face, “Ew, Genya, I don’t need those visuals.” The moment quickly passed and Alina still felt at a loss, “So, you know he’s the one because of that?”

“Well, yeah. I guess. It’s not scientific, but… You get a feeling in your gut. That paired with the fact that no matter what I do or say, David will always support and love me, it kinda adds up to knowing he’s the one. But, Alina… What’s wrong?” she tried to catch Alina’s eye but to no avail, “Alina. Tell me.”

Still biting her lip to the point of nearly drawing blood, she voiced her thoughts, “I’m not sure about Mal anymore…”

Silence. Engulfing and deafening silence.

Her heart began racing fast, telling her to run away as fast as possible. Genya would judge her, Genya would tell Mal, and everything would—

An arm pulled Alina into a bone-crushing embrace. Then, Genya’s voice came from above, “Alina, sweetie, cold feet is the most normal thing to get before the big event.” She rubbed Alina’s arms, trying to get them to warm up, “But true feelings come forth during that time as well.”

“What do you mean?” she mumbled, still in the loving choke hold of her friend.

“I mean, you do what you gotta do.”

“Genya… You’re talking in riddles.”

“Maybe so. But if your heart is somewhere else… or should I say, _with_ someone else?” she pulled Alina up by her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes, “If that’s the case, then I think you should talk with Mal.”

“What if I’m just nervous?”

“Talk with him anyway. Only then will you know what to do.”

Her lip trembled, “What if…?”

“No matter what,” Genya started, brushing Alina’s hair with her hands, “I will always be your friend and I will always support you. And you know Zoya and Nadia feel the same. Hell, David and Harshaw as well. We’re your friends, Alina, no matter what. You can trust we’ll be there for you.”

A watery smile cracked Alina’s teary face, “Thank you, Genya.”

“No problem. Now, get out of that dress and go take care of your life. Call me as soon as you’ve made a decision.”

She nodded, “Okay.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohhhhh who wants to take bets on what will happen during next chapter?? *eye emoji*
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling keeps the monsters away and this time it'll help me during my driving code exam tomorrow :D


	8. The One With The Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alina has the TalkTM

 

 

 

That night Mal was late. Dinner had grown cold and without much appetite, Alina had decided to stick with a large mug of warm milk and some cookies.

Now, she was wishing she hadn’t eaten at all.

“It’s that guy isn’t it?” Mal spit out, his eyes flashing with unbridled anger and jealousy.

She shook her head, tears threatening to spill out, “No, Mal. I just… I don’t know. Mal, please. Maybe we should just wait a little longer.” This was going all wrong, all wrong.

“No,” he bit out, “You want out? You’re out. Wedding’s off. But don’t come crying to me when he’s no longer interested in you.”

“Mal, please!” But he didn’t hear her at all, already walking out the door. He shut it with a loud bang, its force rattling everything around it. And just like that, Alina was left standing in the middle of her living room, all alone and crying, her unshed tears having spilled at last and now flowing fast.

Feeling as though the walls would close in and crumble on her, she quickly left the house and got in her yellow beetle, driving as far away from the apartment as possible.

As she drove through the streets, buildings and cars and people blurring away, her tears eventually dried out and she made a decision. Her heart felt lighter the very second she turned right, now driving with a direction. It wasn’t how she’d wanted things to go, but she wasn’t about to stay at home and cry over a relationship that had gone stale a while ago. Her heart didn’t even really feel broken in that moment. Only… bruised.

 

* * *

 

The docks had never looked more beautiful than in the moment she parked and got out of her car. Taking in a good breath of that sea breeze, Alina set course, her steps lighter and lighter with every passing second.

At this time of the night, the docks were silent and the only sounds to be heard were those of the waves softly hitting the boats and the walls of the docks and the soft moaning of the boats themselves as they bobbed up and down in the dark, lazy waters. Yellow, pasty lights illuminated her path as Alina took quick steps across the boardwalk. There, right where it had been the first time they’d met, there it was, Nikolai’s boat. And standing on deck, walking around was… Nikolai. A breath got caught in her throat as her heart yearned to jump out of her chest and fly straight into his arms.

“Nikolai!” She called. Startled, he looked around, not really believing his ears. When she called again, louder and with a stupid smile now plastered on her face, Nikolai finally looked her way. Shock took over him for a long second before his face cracked into a wide smile, her name on his lips.

Alina ran up the plank and straight into his arms, laughter bubbling out of her mouth as he held her up and spun around once, twice. When he settled her down, Nikolai cupped her face between his shaking hands, “What are you doing here, Alina?” He asked, his eyes watching her face, as if his mind still couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing.

“I came for you, Nikolai. I couldn’t stay away or ignore my feelings anymore.” She placed her hands on his chest and looked down, a chuckle shaking her body, “And trust me, I tried really, _really_ hard.”

With the tip of his finger, Nikolai tilted her head back up. His eyes shined even brighter than she’d ever seen and that smile… oh, that smile was enough to warm her through the harshest of winters. He shook his head, “Are you sure, sunshine?” He brushed his thumb across her lip, “I need you to be sure. You’ll hate me in the morning if you’re not…”

Her eyes fluttered at the touch, “I’m sure.” she let out in a breath.

“What about…?”

“It’s off. We… He called things off. It’s over.” Then, not really in the mood to have that talk, she leaned in, “Now, please… please kiss me, Nikolai.”

He hesitated for a second. And then he kissed her.

And all saints above, this kiss was everything she never knew she needed.

It was slow and tender at first. One hand still cupped her face, the other placed right on the small of her back. His lips moved slowly, as if he was savouring the moment, as if he wanted nothing more than make it last forever, as if he wanted to memorize every single movement and press and breath that he needed to get it perfect. Alina’s head was spinning, her hands now holding handfuls of his shirt, her heart beating harder and harder against her ribcage, the beating thing still glad to break through at any moment.

And then a moan came through. From who, it was hard to tell, but the sound was like a catalyst, throwing the two lovers into a rush.

Grunting, Nikolai circled her waist and pulled her up, Alina gladly hooking her legs around him and letting him take her anywhere he wanted. With less than steady steps, Nikolai took her into the boat’s belly, the two never really breaking the kiss. When his balance threatened to fail, he perched her on the table, hands now moving to her thighs.

“Nikolai…” she moaned as they broke the kiss and Nikolai began a trail of kisses along her jaw and down her throat, each kiss hungrier than the previous. Her skin was burning, her blood boiling, her mind fogged up. With each new kiss, Alina felt herself tilt back, her body wanting more and more and more. Her hands were greedy, buried deep and running through his golden locks, pulling hard whenever Nikolai nipped at her skin. Her back arched when Nikolai found a sweet spot right on the dip of her collarbone, a loud moan on her lips.

“Alina… oh, Alina…” he breathed against her skin, his hot breath teasing her harder than she had except it to. His hands were on her belt and then on her jeans’ button and zipper. And then her jeans and boots were gone and Nikolai was kissing her hipbones and her belly and oh, oh, oh! This was so much, so much. Moan after moan climbed up her throat and out her mouth and all he was doing was kiss her feverish skin.

Nikolai’s mouth moved up, his hands doing quick job on her sweater and undershirt and bra and then he was placing maddening kisses between her breasts and teasing her nipples and saints help her, he kneaded on her breast as his kisses moved upwards and he captured her swollen lips within his own. His tongue was as hungry as her own was, his groans matching her moans in a duet of their own making. Her hands blindly reached for his shirt, ripping open the buttons and shoving it away just so she could feel his toned muscles under her hands and dig her nails hard on his back.

Their kisses grew faster and more impatient, Nikolai grinding his hips against hers so hard that a familiar warmth pooled between her legs. Oh saints, she needed him, she needed him as much as the land needed the rain. As much as her beloved flowers needed the sun. As much as a person could need another in such a moment of shared intimacy. He was the rain and she was the dried land and she needed him. She _needed_ him.

“Nikolai!” she whimpered against his lips, nails digging hard on his skin. His hands roamed her body, never settling on one place for long, which only made her head spin faster and her heart beat harder and her breathing come out faster and shallower with each passing moment. Before she could say another word, before Alina could beg for him again, Nikolai picked her up and took her to the back of the boat, where his bed awaited them.

With a tenderness that had her whole body turning to jelly, Nikolai laid her down, his hazel eyes glazed with lust and something else entirely, something akin to that feeling of hers that had her heart grow and grow and grow. It made her feel so light and wonderful. So, so wonderful.

Then the rest of his clothes were gone and finally her panties and oh saints… Alina’s eyes closed and she let out a long satisfied sigh when Nikolai placed his hands on her skin and began moving up, as painfully slow as her aching body could take. It was pure and sweet torture, to feel him all over her like this. His skin was fire and hers was dried parchment and with each conquered inch he burned her down and oh, how wonderful it was to die like this. How simply delightful it was.

His lips were back on her skin, Nikolai pressing soft, burning kisses wherever he could. Between kisses Alina could hear words of wonder and beauty, like a prayer of his own, like she was a goddess and all he could to worship her was this. This. This. _This_.

When he finally slid inside her, Alina couldn’t help the yes that escaped her hold. And when Nikolai groaned in kind… She opened her eyes and gazed up at him. Her breath was knocked off her lungs when she saw the way Nikolai looked down at her. It was… It was as if he’d never seen anything as beautiful as she was. As if he couldn’t believe is eyes, couldn’t believe what cards fate had dealt him, couldn’t believe that they were right there, right now.

Before she could stop herself, her heart was finally carving open her chest and climbing out and moving in with Nikolai’s. “I… I think I love you, Nikolai…” she breathed, as awed by her words as Nikolai was by her.

His smile… Oh, his smile was simply the most beautiful thing Alina had ever seen, “I love you too, Alina…” And with a kiss that was enough to shake the earth of its foundations, he began moving inside her, each thrust so slow it had Alina whimpering his name over and over again, the sounds lost within that wicked mouth of his.

But soon Alina grew tired of this torture and she rocked her hips, silently urging her hazel-eyed idiot into a faster pace. A chuckle vibrated through them, Nikolai clearly pleased with her haste. “In a hurry, sunshine?” His voice was, oh saints… His voice was so hoarse. Her eyes rolled in their sockets.

“Just move, you idiot.” She moaned.

His pace was still slow but steady as he pressed his lips on hers, “As you wish, my love.”

And then… Oh, and then he moved. Oh yes, he _moved_.

And Alina lost all grasp on reality and all control on the sounds she made. All she could do was let herself go and drown in this. Because this… Oh, this was everything she had never known she needed. This was what heaven on earth most likely was. Nikolai and her and nothing else. Just the two of them together like this. Just _them_.

The edge drew closer and closer and closer. Their bodies rocking in such perfect sync it was almost like a dance. And then… And then she cried his name and her voice broke with emotion. And when _he_ cried her name… Saints, her heart burst at its seams, so full of love and passion and happiness that it could no longer hold it all in. It simply couldn’t. It spilled all over and Alina didn’t care at all.

Because she was here and she was with Nikolai.

And she had given him her heart.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> was this up to expectations or...? xD
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling is such a good <3
> 
> aaand happy holidays and merry christmas if you celebrate it/anything!! *hug*


	9. The One With The Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning+day after and Alina gets some surprises

 

 

 

A faint off-tune whistling broke through the haze of sleep. Alina groaned, her body aching all over as she woke up bit by bit. Blindly, she reached the other side of the bed, but as the whistling had hinted, she was alone. After a full minute of waiting to be as awake as someone in her condition could be, Alina finally got out of bed and wrapped the sheets as tightly around her as she could, the cold air already nipping at her skin.

Blue sky greeted her as she emerged in the open. A quick glance around told Alina they weren’t docked anymore. There was water all around them, the docks now tiny in the distance.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Nikolai greeted, chirpy as a bird, from his spot next to the helm. His smile was as bright in the morning as it had been just before they’d fallen asleep, albeit a little less sleepy now, “Sleep well?”

Try as she might, Alina couldn’t stop her face from opening up in a smile just like his, “It would have been better if the bed wasn’t short on one person.”

Nikolai actually looked sheepish as he shrugged, “I woke up and thought it would nice to take you somewhere nice, somewhere else.” He pointed straight ahead, “Over there is Little Palace, as everyone calls it, and it’s spectacular, Alina.” His gaze was on her again, “Have you ever been there?”

She shook her head, “No. But I’ve heard it’s lovely.”

“It is. I actually grew up there.”

Oh, new information on Nikolai. She wasn’t sure why, but she found this detail more interesting than it probably was. Maybe because in spite of knowing him so well by now, there were things both still had to discover about each other. And right now, Alina wanted to know why she was still standing there. All alone. Schooling her features into what she hoped to be something sultry, she called, “Are you really going to stay there?”

“Why?”

“Because…” she let a side of her cocoon drop, revealing her bare shoulder, the pale skin shining under the morning sun. Nikolai’s eyes fell on that patch of skin and it was with delight that she saw a blush tinge his cheeks, “I really, really don’t like to wake up alone in bed.”

Nikolai bit his lip, his hands gripping hard the helm. It was obvious he was struggling with a decision. To take her to Little Palace as soon as possible? Or to stop for a while and… cuddle? After a moment that was possibly just pure entertainment for Alina, he finally let go of the helm. Setting things up for a break, Nikolai walked to her and shook his head, “You are an evil minx, sunshine.” He pulled at the sheets and kissed her smiling lips, “An evil, sneaky minx.”

Still holding the sheets, Alina returned the kiss, pulling and nipping at his lip, “This minx has needs, Nikolai. You can’t leave her alone for too long, you should know that.”

“Needs, huh? I’ll take care of those, sunshine.” He gripped the sheets and pulled them hard, earning a squeal from Alina as the cold air hit her exposed skin, “Starting right now.” And then he scooped her up and took her back inside.

Settling her atop his table, Nikolai cupped her nape and continued kissing her, his tongue already deepening the kiss as Alina parted her lips and welcomed him in with a satisfied moan. She hooked her legs around his hips and pulled him closer. she passed her hands through his hair again and again until it was as mussed up as it had been the previous night. All along, Nikolai’s lips were busy on hers, drawing sweet moans and gasps out of her with each shared breath.

“You’re too dressed…” she gasped when he drew a line along her neck, his teeth grazing on her pulse, nipping and kissing and sucking until Alina was certain a hickey would show later that day. She could feel his smirk on her tender skin as she quickly undid his shirt and jeans.

“Alina, sunshine… Are you always this hasty and greedy in the morning?” he said, his husky voice making her eyes roll in anticipation. A hand was on the small of her back, fingers pressed hard on her skin. His other hand… She wasn’t certain where it was. And she wanted to know where it was.

“Huh… I… Yes, sometimes.” She said between gasps. Nikolai was once again showering her skin with teasing kisses, nipping in all her sweet spots. Somehow, she managed to get rid of his shirt and undo his jeans but before she could do anything else, she found out where that missing hand was. Or where it was going to be.

As he kissed her swollen lips again, Nikolai brushed his thumb over her clit and a shiver trickled down her spin. He brushed again and again that shiver. Alina dug her nails on his shoulders and rocked her hips once, silently saying ‘yes’ and ‘more please’ with her body.

Before her wishes were granted, Nikolai broke the kiss, “Alina, love… Don’t get me wrong but… Don’t you want breakfast first?” The words were just a whisper on her lips, as breathless as Nikolai was with the early make out.

A smirk curved her lips, “I thought we were taking care of that right now… Nikolai.”

He groaned at the drop in her voice, the man just barely holding it in, “Yes, but I thought you might enjoy the classic kind of breakfast.” He shuddered as Alina began peppering his jaw with kisses, “I wanted to give you a proper breakfast.” His hand twitched on her inner thigh, “And be a proper boyfriend.”

She paused and looked back, locking her gaze on his. Saints, his eyes were wide and open, all his feelings and thoughts exposed there, all for her to see. A smile slowly grew on her face, “Boyfriend?”

Nikolai’s gaze faltered for a bit, “Hum, if you’ll have me, sunshine. Because I would…” he took a breath, “I would very much love to be your special someone, Alina.”

She nodded happily, “Yes, Nikolai. I would love that too.” She pecked his lips once, “But right now… I really, really need that less classic breakfast. And then… Then you can take me out for breakfast.”

“As you wish, sunshine.” And then he dipped a finger within her folds and began teasing her, curling and pumping with a rhythm that soon had her gasping hard and whimpering his name every two seconds. Alina rocked her hips in sync, her breathing shallow and raspy, her body aching for release. Nikolai kissed her neck and peppered her skin with feather-light kisses that had her head spinning fast. A loud moan escaped her lips as he dipped another finger inside her and oh saints, oh saints, oh saints!

She cried out as her release came, her body falling apart and into a million pieces. The wind could come in and scatter her through the whole world if it wanted to. She was… A satisfied smile was on her lips as her ragged breathing struggled to normalize, “Saints, Nikolai… I have to say… your breakfast service is quite…”

“Good?” he offered when she stopped, still struggling for air.

Hoisting herself up so she could look him in the eye, Alina nodded, “Yes. Good. Quite good.” Her tongue seemed to be working on basic words at that moment. She wasn’t sure if she should be mad at herself or at Nikolai for this result. The grin that curved his lips had the scale tipping against him.

“What next?” he asked, nuzzling his nose on her flushed skin.

She bit down a moan, a hundred ideas lining up for the taking, “Surprise me.”

 

* * *

 

They walked down the market street, booths of all kinds and colours filling both sides of the street. Hand in hand, fingers laced together, Alina and Nikolai stopped here and there to see the most interesting items the merchants had to offer. Lace and ribbons of all sorts flowed in the morning breeze, freshly baked goods invited clients with their sweet scents, pumpkins and apples and all kinds of goods littered the booths, offering an explosion of colour that Alina hadn’t seen in a long, long while.

“This is wonderful!” she said in awe.

Nikolai smiled, “It really is.” They passed by a florist and after a couple of steps, Nikolai stopped and turned back, flashing only a mischievous smile when Alina asked him where he was going. Five minutes later he returned, an arm behind his back. “Close your eyes, sunshine.” He whispered.

She rolled her eyes, but curiosity won and soon she was obliging, wondering what her boyfriend had behind his back. When Nikolai breathed a soft now into her ear, she found herself staring at a bright and lovely sunflower. Blinking she turned to Nikolai, a gaping mouth and a stunned expression on her face.

His smile had her knees going weak in half a breath, “For you, Alina.”

“Th-thank you… Nikolai. It’s…” she shook her head, still dazed with the surprise. She’d never been given flowers and, as cliché as some might think, this was quite the romantic gesture. And she loved it. Standing on her tip toes, she pecked Nikolai on a flushed cheek, “Thank you. I love it.”

Pleased with her reaction, Nikolai laced their hands together again. But before they could take another step, a strange voice called from across the street, “Hey! It’s Nikolai Lantsov! Hey!! Mr Lantsov!!! Look here!” Flashes exploded in their eyes, the bright lights revealing a group of paparazzi quickly catching up to them.

Alina looked at the incoming crowd confused, “What are they…? Nikolai? What’s going on?!”

He cursed under his breath and tugged at her hand, quickly darting between booths and vendors and clients while desperately looking for a way out of that street.

“Nikolai?!” she insisted, already winded from the sudden run.

He shook his head, “I… I’m sorry, Alina. Please, we have to get away first. I’ll…” he turned a corner and slid through a darkened street, clearly aiming in the general direction of the docks, “We can’t talk right now.”

Dread sank deep in her stomach. Something was not right. Suddenly she wasn’t so sure she wanted to know what was going on. The bliss that had her feet lighter earlier that day dwindled to nothing in a matter of seconds.

After what felt like hours of running through an endless labyrinth, Alina and Nikolai finally reached the docks, the area fortunately empty of people. Just as they were about to step on his boat, Alina stopped and crossed her arms, her sunflower wilting after such an unexpected rush through the city. She took a breath, not really looking him in the eye, “Nikolai… Why… Why were they calling you Lantsov?” Even if they hadn’t talked through their run, Alina had been busy, thinking back to the events that had taken them to this moment.

Still breathing hard from the run, Nikolai looked away, shame dulling his beautiful eyes. He shook his head again as he let out a resigned breath, “I… They were calling me that because…” He sighed again, “Because that’s my name…”

Suddenly her mouth was dry, “Your… You’re not…” she took in a shuddered breath, “You’re not Sturmhond?” Nikolai merely shook his head, “That’s not your real name?”

“Sturmhond is an alias, for… privacy.” He finally dared a glance at her, but quickly looked away again when he saw tears in her eyes, “My name is Nikolai Lantsov and I’m the heir to the Lantsov fortunes… Fixing boats is just… a hobby.”

A heart-breaking sound escaped her lips, “You lied to me. You… You… You said… You didn’t…” her words were broken and coming through sobs, tears streaming down her face by now. Alina dug her nails on her arms, trying hard to focus on a more physical kind of pain. Just a couple of hours ago she’d been nestled in his arms, feeling as happy as she had never felt. And now…

The sunflower fell on the ground without a sound, “Take me home, Nikolai.” Her voice was steel, hardened and cold.

Nikolai flinched, “Please, Alina… let me explain…”

“Take me. Home.”

He shuddered. A defeated nod, “As you wish.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry? *hides in a hole*
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling (but no lynching please) is amaze and so are you all!!
> 
> merry christmas and happy holidays and fun sunday! :D


	10. The One With the Wedding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's wedding day!! Who's excited? No one? #same

 

 

 

A vision in white.

That’s what she was right now.

That’s what she had almost thrown away for a fling. A stupid, silly fling.

Feeling fresh tears threatening to spill, Alina bit hard on the inside of her cheek and dug her freshly painted nails on her palms as an added effort. She wouldn’t cry, not today. Not unless they were happy tears for finally marrying her high-school sweetheart.

Mal.

He’d been there when Alina had ran back into the comfort of her apartment. And just like old times, he’d been… Sweet and nice. He’d understood her need for something else before tying the knot. He’d accepted her apologies. He’d said he would have her, if she would have him.

And, as heartbroken as she was, and as in much need of something certain and sure as she was, Alina accepted. And two days later, there she was, standing in front of a floor-length mirror, surrounded by white curtains and old dark furniture, wearing her beautiful wedding dress as personalized by Genya, waiting for the moment to walk down the aisle, and…

She shut her eyes.

Still, bright and happy yellow haunted her sight.

No, she shouldn’t… she shouldn’t be thinking of him. Nor of the fact that he’d known right from the start which were her favourite flowers. Blinking away those pesky tears, Alina took a deep breath, stood straight and rearranged her overskirt. Happy with her task, she looked up again and took in the girl that looked back at her in the mirror. A beautiful white dress with a golden dipped overskirt. A low bun with a lovely… sunflower. A lovely… A lovely sunflower holding up her veil and lastly, a bouquet of sunflowers, settled somewhere behind her, waiting for its cue.

Sunflowers.

She wanted to cry and laugh whenever her gaze fell on one of them. Cry for the ache in her heart, laugh for the irony of her favourite flowers bringing tears to her eyes on the very day that was supposedly the happiest day of her life.

“Stop it, Alina.” She told herself. This was no time to dwell on such matters. She was getting married, dammit! She should be happy! Excited, even!

So, why wasn’t she?

Why did she feel like she was… settling?

Where were the butterflies that had taken over her entire body when Mal had proposed? Where were the flips of her stomach at the mere thought of marrying her childhood sweetheart? They were… gone. Nothing more than something akin to dread living in their place now.

Dread.

The sunflower caught her eye again. Hazel eyes came to mind and her heart skipped a beat. An insufferable smirk made her body warm up several degrees. Perfect, tender lips on her skin made butterflies erupt deep in her belly. Oh. What… what was she doing? Why was she doing this? Even if… Even if she was heartbroken… Marrying Mal shouldn’t be the solution. Why had she agreed to it then? Why?

She looked around the empty room, searching for… for what? Her gaze fell on the door that led her out of this white cocoon and into the church’s corridor that would lead straight to the aisle. But it also led to… She felt terrible for doing this, but… She had to talk to him. She had to. They’d grown up together, they’d been best friends forever. He’d understand. Right?

Ignoring the lingering feeling of doubt, Alina opened the door just enough to see if the area separating her room from Mal’s was clear. Her bridesmaids were all gathered outside the open doors, finishing up the outer decorations and waiting for Mal’s cue. Once he was ready, they’d fetch Alina and everything would roll as per tradition. Which would happen in a couple of minutes, max. If she wanted to talk with her fiancé, then Alina couldn’t hesitate.

She slipped off her shoes and tiptoed as fast and silently as possible across the hall, until she was right in front of Mal’s door.

With her hand already on the handle, a sound came from within. A voice. Mal’s voice. She furrowed her brows, confused. What was he saying? And to whom? Pressing her ear to the ancient wood, Alina caught what sounded like a grunted yes. What…? As silently as the old door allowed her to, she pressed down the handle and entered the room.

The world stopped.

She blinked.

Somehow… Somehow it didn’t really surprise her. But then again, it was quite the surprise. Still… She should have known. The long hours away at work. The extra jobs. The trips out of town.

Mal was leaning on what was most likely the priest’s desk, his pants down and an expression of ecstasy on his face. His hand held fast to a long curtain of brown locks as a young woman dressed in red went down on him. Hard.

Sick to her stomach, Alina cleared her throat.

The scene froze. And two pairs of panicked eyes fell on her.

“So… I guess…” she swallowed down the hurt, “I guess this is the famous Ruby, huh, Mal?” Supposed-Ruby scrambled to her feet and looked for her purse, wiping her face as discreetly as someone caught in the act could. Mal took longer to react, only pulling up his pants when Supposed-Ruby was already at the door.

“Wait! Ruby!” So, she was right. It was the famous Ruby. Mal turned his attention back to Alina, “Alina… I… Alina… We… We weren’t… This isn’t…”

She arched a brow, “Not what it looks like? Okay, so I didn’t just walk in on you being given plenty of satisfaction by your good and trustworthy co-worker, Ruby?” Mal tried to speak but she cut him again, her tone now icier than ever, “You know, I always thought you said that about her work. That she was good at it. But that wasn’t it, was it?”

“Alina…”

“So, you had the gall to judge my need for… a fling.” She spat the word, “But all along you were the one actively cheating on me. While we were together. While we were engaged!” She ripped the engagement ring off her finger, “And you even brought her here today! For a quickie before the ceremony?! What kind of gross, disgusting and selfish logic is that?!”

“Alina! That’s not—”

She threw the ring straight at his face, “Oh yes it is. And this?” she motioned between the two of them. “Is over. For good. Don’t ever try to contact me or my friends again.” Already at the door, she turned back and cocked her head, “I hope you two are happy. Though now that you don’t have me to cheat on with her… I suppose the allure isn’t as big now. But… I don’t. Care.” She banged the door, rattling it off its hinges.

Oh.

Oh wow.

Did she really just say all that?

“Alina?” Zoya was walking up to her. Behind her Genya, Nadia and Tamar followed, their bridesmaids skirts rustling over the old stones.

“What happened? Why did that girl leave Mal’s room? Why did YOU leave his room? And right before the wedding?” Genya grabbed Alina by the shoulders and turned her until they were staring straight at her, “Alina? What’s going on?”

She looked from one friend to the other, silence stretching thin between them as her friends waited for an answer. Then, “That’s Ruby. She’s Mal’s mistress. And she was sucking him dry.” Nadia gasped at the words, whether at them being said within a church or because of the words themselves, it was hard to tell. Maybe both judging by the looks of her friends. Feeling just half aware of things, Alina flashed a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, “Don’t worry. I won’t be marrying his cheating ass.” Gently, she removed Genya’s hands from her and rearranged her dress, “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to break the news to the guests.”

Music streamed from the church’s organ as she stepped foot on the aisle. When Alina walked faster, the music played faster for a couple of seconds. Then silence fell as the organist realised something was wrong. No groom. But a speeding bride. The crowd held its breath as Alina reached the priest and went for his microphone.

“Dearly beloved…” a dry chuckle left her lips. Dearly beloved? She scanned the crowd. Only a quarter of the guests were people she actually knew and cared about. Old friends from the orphanage and school years. Friends she’d made thanks to her job. Tolya, David and Harshaw. Everyone else… She had no clue. Zero. They were Mal’s friends and acquaintances. Many men yes, but plenty of handsome women as well. Her eyes fell on the back of the church where Marie now joined the rest of the bridesmaids, her face the epitome of confusion, then shock, then anger. Genya was leaning in, no doubt explaining things. Alina took a deep breath, “I’m afraid we only gathered here today to take out our best formal outfits for a spin.” Murmuring broke within the crowd, “The wedding is off. I’m sorry we wasted your time.” This last part she said to the priest, a polite young man who looked the most confused of everyone in the church.

“What are you talking about?” Someone called, a voice Alina had never heard. “Where’s Oretsev?”

She made a face, “The wedding is off. And it’s off because I just caught Oretsev in the priest’s office with his mistress kneeling in front of him. And just so we’re clear, neither were praying.” Silence fell. Alina really wanted to say a lot more, but she respected this place and the priest, who had no guilt in all of this, so she said just that small… allusion. Stepping away from the microphone, she added to whomever was still listening, “If you want, you can still go to the restaurant and eat all you can. It’s perfectly good food. No use throwing it away.” And then she took off.

 

* * *

 

“Where is he?” she demanded as she reached Tamar. Those golden eyes sparked with understanding.

“Most likely at the docks.”

She wrung her hands over and over again, “Can you take me there?” Tamar nodded, “Thank you. Can we go now?”

“Sure.” Tamar kissed Nadia’s cheek and whispered something in her girlfriend’s ear before walking to Alina’s car. The yellow beetle had been decorated with white tulle and lots of fake sunflowers just for the occasion. It had been the cutest thing that Alina had seen that day.

She was already halfway to the car when Genya called her, “Alina! Wait!”

“I’m sorry Genya. I can’t wait. I… I have to go.” Waiting right now was out of the question. Her heart would likely take off on its own if she stood still any longer.

Genya stared for a moment before her eyes widened with realisation, “Then what are you waiting for?! GO! We’ll take care of everything! Go!” She clapped once with excitement, “But I am going to need all the details afterwards, okay?!”

Smiling so hard she thought her face would crack, Alina nodded and waved goodbye before joining Tamar in the little yellow beetle. Maybe this was a fool’s errand, yes, but in that moment, Alina couldn’t care less about rational thinking. Her heart was making the calls now. And there was nothing she could do about that. Except follow it.

Tamar drove through the city with an elegant speed that had Alina just a little worried. She certainly toed the speed limit without ever crossing it, but in such an old and tiny car, Alina felt as if they were driving twice as fast as they actually were. Or maybe it wasn’t Tamar’s driving. Maybe it was her heart hammering so hard and so fast against her chest that it felt as if timing was wrapping itself around its rhythm.

By the time they’d reached the docks, Alina was sure she would faint. And it wasn’t due to the speed they’d drove there.                                                                                                                                       

“Good luck.” Tamar said.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HECK YEAH ALINA!!! malaria just got burned so hard he won't ever show his face around anyone we love every again :D
> 
> final chapter just around the corner. I just need to read a few more pages of this book!!


	11. The One With the Happily Ever After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And they all lived happily ever after :')
> 
> As it should have been amirite?

 

 

 

Just like before, Alina found Nikolai busy with his boat. It felt like centuries had passed since then, but only little over two months had actually passed. He walked around, fixing ropes and checking the paint and the wood. But unlike his usual cheery self, today he was silent. That off-tune whistling that always followed him wasn’t there today. Her heart sank at absence of that sound.

“Nikolai…” She called. But she must have said his name too softly, too under her breath, because he didn’t even flinch. Clearing her throat, Alina called again, “Nikolai.”

His hands froze. Then his fingers twitched and the rope they were holding slipped to the floor. Nikolai blinked as his breath seemed to get lodged in his throat. Alina watched with a held breath of her own as slowly he accepted the sound as real and turned his gaze to where she stood. She wanted to let that breath go and swallow in new, fresh air, but the look on his face was too unreadable to do such thing. She… she needed to be sure.

“Alina…” His voice cracked, as if he hadn’t used it in hours. Or… as if he’d used it too much… Only then did she notice the way his hair was undone, as if he hadn’t brushed it in the last two days and done nothing but pass his hands through it over and over again. And his eyes… They looked tired, begging for rest. And red. She swallowed hard. Their last… meeting, it had left a mark on him as well. Time seemed to hold its breath as Nikolai slowly walked to her. When he was just at arm’s length, Nikolai stopped. A moment stretched between them, the two gazing into each other’s eyes. Then, “Shouldn’t you be getting married? Or are you already…?” He tried to sound nonchalant, but something in his tone spoke of pain and heartbreak.

Alina’s lip trembled, “No. I… I… huh… Things didn’t work out.”

He furrowed his brows, worried, “Oh?”

She hadn’t planned on saying this. In fact, she’d planned on something more like the last time she’d ran to him. Something more… romantic. “I… I caught him with another woman. Right before the ceremony.” A dry chuckle, “Turns out he’s been cheating on me all this time. No wonder he wasn’t all that worried about the wedding plans.”

Nikolai seemed to break his almost-cool demeanour, rage burning bright in his hazel eyes, “He did what?” He was seething now.

“Please, it’s… It’s fine.”

“Alina…” he started.

“It really is. Sure,” she played with the overskirt, “It sucks a lot. But… at least I got to call off the wedding without being the chick that ran off with another guy.” She chuckled, the sound hollow, “Wouldn’t that be hilarious?”

Nikolai’s next words died on his lips, “What?”

Going straight to the point and answer him was all her heart was crying out for, but… She also needed to know something else, “Why Nikolai?”

Confusion still reigned in his features, but then he seemed to understand the silent question, “Why didn’t I tell you the truth?” It was his turn to let out a dry chuckle, “I guess… I don’t know. I guess I saw a beautiful young woman asking for my alias and saying we were married and…” he shrugged, “I wanted to see where it would go.” His eyes wandered as a nostalgic smile played on his lips, “I wanted to tell you. But you were so… So smart and witty. And so beautiful. I delayed the moment. And… I was enchanted with the idea of just being me. No big last names attached. No big fortunes. And you…!” Those hazel eyes caught hers and Alina’s heart stopped, “You had no idea who I was. And you… you had no patience whatsoever for my crazy side and driving you mad was so much fun. And getting to know you. Saints, you took me by surprise with your intelligence and wit and snark. And your perseverance. Alina… I swear I had no intention of lying to you, but the more time I spent with you, the harder it got to tell you the truth.”

“But… How did the glitch happen if Sturmhond is just an alias?”

“My friend at the notary created the file for anything official that I needed to do but didn’t want my name attached to it.”

“Isn’t that…?”

“Yes. But he did it anyway.” He passed his hand through his hair, “The day he got back I wanted to tell you the truth. But then he answered my texts and I thought… Well, might as well get this done. We had to fix it anyway, even if strictly speaking we weren’t really married. But then your friend insisted on not taking my message and having me go there and… and…” His eyes glazed, his mind lost in a memory, “I walked in and saw you standing there, looking so incredibly beautiful and perfect…” His breath came out in a whoosh, “The moment I saw you that day… I knew I was done for. That was when I realised just exactly why I wanted to be around you so much.”

Her heart didn’t know what to do. First it would race so hard Alina thought she might have a heart attack. Then it would skip so many beats she thought she would die for not having enough blood flowing to her organs. Her body seemed to be at a complete loss. “What… what did you realise?” she breathed, not daring to hope.

His smile was too beautiful to handle. It made her heart swell. “That I was falling for you, hard. And there was nothing I could do to stop the fall.” That wonderful smile turned sad, “And there was nothing I could do about us. Nothing I could do to pursue you. Because you were going to marry someone else.”

“And when I…” she cleared her throat, “When I… When I came to you… Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“And risk you running away before I could explain things? Plus…” His eyes shined, “I was too distracted with your kisses to remember anything that wasn’t about the things we were doing in those exact moments.” A violent blush took over Alina’s cheeks as she remembered just what things they had been doing. Nikolai took a step forward but stopped once more, clearly unsure if she wanted him around at all, “And then morning came. I thought I’d take you for breakfast, go to a nice and secluded place and tell you everything… I had even planed the place.” He chuckled, “A small park where I’d played for long hours when I was a kid. I wanted to gently warm you up before I said anything.” He shook his head, “But I forgot…”

“The paparazzi.” She said.

“The paparazzi.” Nikolai said. His lips curved upward at their synchronisation. “Yes. Alina… I’m… I am terribly sorry things turned out that way. I had never meant to hurt you. I love you, Alina… Please, you have to believe m—”

Alina shut him up promptly as she stepped forward, grabbed his lapels and pressed her lips against his. Nikolai froze with shock and for a moment she thought that maybe he’d turn away, but then he groaned, put his arms around her, drawing her closer and returned the kiss eagerly. They kissed for so long that soon Alina was starting to feel faint in his arms, her lungs crying out for air, her legs gone somewhere else.

When they broke the kiss, the two swayed a bit, laughter bubbling out of their breathless and swollen lips. Nikolai rested his head against hers, “So… Am I forgiven?” his voice was so hoarse that Alina almost ignored his question and kissed him again. Her legs were still there and her heart was still beating. She almost gave in.

Almost.

“I don’t know yet. Is…” she had to take a deep breath, her breathing still completely haywire, “Is there anything else I should know?”

She hadn’t really meant it. It was just a joke. But then Nikolai stopped to think and soon regret was bringing her limp legs back to life. “Well, now that you mention it…” He reached up and began playing with a loose lock of her hair, his eyes focused on the dark brown lock, “The glitch… Well… I found out it wasn’t that much of a glitch…” He curled the lock around his finger and rubbed his thumb on it.

Alina blinked confused, “What do you mean?”

Nikolai let go of the lock of hair before he straightened it and played with it again, “My notary friend… Well… I believe it was a prank. For me never setting him up with one of my mother’s many young female friends. That paired with me constantly complaining about my mother’s matchmaking hobby.” He smiled, his eyes focused on her hair, “At least that’s what I got from his rambling. I think he felt bad when he saw you.”

Oh. So Alina had been right when she noticed the notary avoiding her inquiries on the glitch. And Nikolai hadn’t insisted… Because… “You did notice something was off that day, didn’t you?”

He nodded, “Indeed I did, sunshine. But I thought I’d ask him about it later, when he was more comfortable. And there would be no risk of you accidentally murdering him.”

Accidentally murdering the notary? She rolled her eyes, “And he spilt everything?”

“As much as he could without breaking into a thousand apologies every two seconds. My friend has never been good at pranks. So he wasn’t sure how to deal with this one being so successful. Understandable, of course.”

“Of course.”

A seagull flew by, cawing as it sighted fish on the water. Nikolai kept on playing with Alina’s hair and by the looks of it, didn’t seem like he intended on ever stopping.

“Is that all?” she insisted, half-distracted by the way Nikolai looked at her. It was so, so distracting. And it made her feel extra… special.

He hummed, “Yes, Alina. I have no more secrets. And I will never have any more nor hide anything else from you. Unless it’s for a surprise effect, but I swear to you, my love…” Her heart gained wings and flew into the sky as he said those words, “I will never, ever hide any more secrets from you, or lie, or deceive you. And I would rather drown myself than even so much as consider looking at anyone else when I have you. That is…” he bit his lip and Alina found herself more aroused by the sight than she would ever admit, “If you’ll have me…”

She couldn’t stop the smile from breaking through, “What do you mean?”

His voice was hoarse with emotion, “I will marry you one day, Alina Starkov.”

And then she finally knew what Genya had meant about just knowing David had been the one. Because in that moment… Alina knew it. She just knew… That Nikolai was the one. And she believed him. She believed in them. “You’ll have to work hard before I get a ring on this finger, though.” She teased, “And you could start by getting me out of this dress. It’s very nice, but not that good for running.”

His chuckle had her stomach doing little skittery dances, “Then I’ll have to do it carefully. Wouldn’t want to ruin your perfect wedding dress before the wedding, would we?”

She rolled her eyes, “I love you, Nikolai.”

“I love you too, sunshine.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AT LAST! And it's happy!! :D Yay!!  
> Was it GOOD? Or... meh? haha
> 
> I kinda want to write an epilogue since I'm not ready to leave this au yet, but in the weeks since I finished writing it and began posting I haven't found the right idea yet, so if you too aren't ready to leave, drop some ideas! I might come up with something ;D
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling will work as a charm and make 2018 an amazing year for all of us!!!
> 
> aaaand happy new year everyone!! (almost 2018 here omgomgomg)


	12. The One With The Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the long awaited epilogue no one was sure would happen is here!

 

 

 

Light flickered through the cracks between the curtains, its warmth nudging Alina away from sleep. She stretched under the sheets, like a lazy cat in the sun. Fresh cotton caressed her skin and she blushed at memories of the previous night. She rose her left hand and gold winked at her, a simple golden band wrapped neatly around her finger. A symbol that announced she was very married.

Married. She and Nikolai were finally, and very legally, married.

Alina turned on her side and curled under the sheets, listening for sounds that could tell her where her husband could be. The boat was still, probably still anchored. An off-tune whistle came from above. Which meant Nikolai was probably checking on things, making sure everything was just as it should be.

A sigh left her lips as her eye caught the ring again. After just two months of dating, Nikolai had proposed, having taken her on one of those swan boat trips again. She hadn’t expected the proposal at all, since he’d given her no signs and she had no suspicions at all, but then… he did. And it was ridiculously perfect. She’d said yes, of course. His words weren’t all out yet before Alina had pulled him in and planted a kiss on his still-moving lips. Speeches be damned, she already knew her answer and no extra word of his would change it.

Between that day and their wedding, little over four months passed. Zoya called them horny teenagers that just couldn’t be patient for once. Nadia and Tamar had received the news through an email, the two out in a romantic getaway. Their reply had been a video of Nadia and Tamar smiling wide at the camera, congratulating them for long before they had to leave again. And Genya? She squealed for over five minutes, before begging – no, demanding – to be Alina’s wedding planner. This time, she’d said, Alina would get her dream wedding. Not the perfect wedding she’d tried to make before, but the wedding Alina deserved.

 

* * *

 

A beautiful orchard, flowers in bloom, pale pink petals glittering the ground. Alina couldn’t stop smiling at the place, at how beautiful it was, at how Genya knew her so well she found this wonderful and perfect place. Sunflowers were still the main decoration, yes, but all the other flowers… They were so beautiful.

Two arms snaked around her waist and pulled her flush against a muscled torso. “Sneaking away without me, sunshine?” Nikolai’s breath teased her skin, heat blooming throughout her body at the lingering husky tone.

She leaned into his embrace and looked up, “What? Afraid I’ll leave you at the altar? Too late for that, since we’ve already traded our vows.” She said, a stupid smile stuck on her face. Saints, she couldn’t stop smiling, could she? How different those moments before walking down the aisle had been from her first attempt at marrying. When once she’d been on the verge of tears at the sight of sunflowers, this time she’d been on the verge of eloping, no amount of sunflowers enough to keep her distracted for long. Her walk towards Nikolai had been more of a scurry, if she was being honest.

Nikolai nodded, “Very true, my love. I’ve already captured your heart, there’s no need to worry about your disappearance. So long as I’m included in your getaway.” He wiggled his eyebrows in such a ridiculous manner that Alina couldn’t stop the laughter that burst out of her. A frown grew on his face, so exaggerated it only made Alina laugh harder. “My, my… Laughing at my expenses?” Nikolai tsked and twisted her in his arms in one fast twirl, her golden overskirt long gone by now. He poked her nose, “I’ll have to punish you, sunshine.” His voice had dropped to a husky murmur, the low rumble speaking directly to her celibate self. They hadn’t been together in a week, the preparations barely leaving them any time or energy for more than goodnight and good morning kisses.

She bit her lip slowly and watched the way Nikolai swallowed in effort at the sight, “Punish me? Right… here?” Excitement bubbled through her veins when Nikolai flashed a wicked smirk.

“Is that your kink, sunshine? In the middle of an orchard in bloom?” He leaned in, his breath tickling her lips.

Alina’s eyes fluttered, fingers already deep in his hair, “Honestly, so long as it’s you, I don’t really care.”

He brushed his nose down her neck and pressed a long kiss against her pulse, “I asked Genya for a little nook just in case…” He rasped, “Do you want to check it out?”

Genya. Of course. “Please.”

 

* * *

 

“Sunshine…” Nikolai whispered in her ear and Alina realised she’d dozed off.

She blinked sleep away and looked up, her eyes catching Nikolai’s like magnets, “Hey…”

“Hey. Sleep well?” He asked and joined her under the sheets. Alina caught a glimpse of skin. He was undressed. Either he’d stripped or remained undressed the whole time. Nikolai was very capable of that, actually.

“So well.” She moaned and happily snuggled closer to Nikolai. Head on his chest, Alina savoured that salty scent of his and that warmth she just loved so much. “I was just remembering our little… quickie in the middle of our reception.” She chuckled.

Nikolai hummed, “I knew you would love that little nook.”

She rolled her eyes, “So much I actually sneaked away from our wedding to have sex with you. Twice.”

A shrug, or what would have been such if they weren’t lying like this, “It’s my curse. I’m too irresistible.”

Another eye roll, “What you are, is lucky that I love you.”

“Truly. Luckiest man on earth, just because of that.” He said, his voice so honest, so open, it made Alina’s heart soar. “And I love you too, sunshine.” A kiss on her crown.

Sleep threatened to take her back under after a while of comfortable silence, their embrace and Nikolai’s soft caresses doing a far too perfect job of lulling her to sleep, before a thought wormed its way to the top of her mental list. Right. _That_.

“Nikolai…?”

“Yes?”

She pressed her lips for a moment, “So… Where are we going for our honeymoon? You never told me.” Coward. That was so not what she wanted to talk about.

“I’m certain I told you about it last night.”

She snorted, “Right. When, exactly? Before or after you unwrapped me like your favourite Christmas present?”

A hand snaked down her waist and she yelped at the playful touch, “I did promise to not ruin your beautiful dress, Alina. You can’t blame me for wanting to… _unwrap_ you ceremoniously.” His voice rasped at the word and she was sure Nikolai was thinking back to the moment he’d laid her in bed, finally free of all the bridal layers that stood between them. If their quickie during the reception had been hot, then that moment when their eyes had met had been… the hottest moment in her life.

 

* * *

 

His skin was hot against hers, palms pressed religiously against her hips, thumbs caressing the tender skin. Alina felt as though her very soul was bared to Nikolai in that moment, just as his own was bared to her. His eyes shined in the dimmed lights of the room, full of love and lust and the purest of bliss. He didn’t need to smile, Alina could see just how happy he was just in the way he looked at her. In the way his gaze mirrored the way she felt.

“I love you so much, Alina.” He breathed and pressed a kiss to her collarbone.

Her eyes fluttered with it, a soft, begging sound forming in her throat, “I love you too, Nikolai.” She replied after a few seconds spent searching for her voice, so overwhelmed she forgot how to speak. Nikolai continued his journey across her body, pressing kisses to his favourite spots, smouldering hot with love and lust. Alina couldn’t stop the soft moans that fell out of her, nor the way her hands greedily explored Nikolai’s body.

“Can someone explain…?” He rasped against her hipbones, “Why it is that being married makes this moment even more… special?”

Alina struggled for words, breathing already so laboured it was a wonder she’d managed anything remotely coherent, “I have no clue…” Well, no one said she had an answer should she be able to speak. And the moment his tongue touched her… Well, that was when all rational and mildly coherent thoughts flew out the window. Nikolai teased her relentlessly, slowly building her to a point where death would be sweeter. His tongue was playful but guarded, touching and teasing her with slow swirls that were nearly enough to drive her to the brink of madness. But every time she was close to coming undone, Nikolai would retreat and slow to a lazy rhythm, kissing her centre with reverence. It was sweet, sweet torture. But one she would like to end soon as well. And then, when she was on the verge of smacking him, Nikolai finally gave her that sweet release, finally pushing her over the edge with a perfectly timed flick of his tongue.

Her cry echoed in the room, her hands clawing at the sheets as her orgasm shook her very core.

Not a moment later Nikolai was kissing her once more. And slowly sinking into her, his length hard and filling her completely. “Oh saints… That feels… So good.” She moaned and rolled her hips, ordering him to move, to move, to move.

Nikolai kissed her for a long moment, refusing to move more than necessary, “I agree, my love. It feels… Saints… Like heaven.” And then he moved. And he spent no more time in slow torture, their rhythm quickly building up, up, up. Until Alina was sure her very own DNA was being rewritten, until she was sure this was their best time yet, until Nikolai was shuddering inside her and pouring into her mouth words of love and beauty and wonder.

 

* * *

 

Alina played with her fingers, tracing invisible shapes across his chest. “So… A trip around the world, huh?”

After her insisting that no honeymoon facts had been revealed during the entirety of their wedding night, Nikolai had finally relented and told her how he wanted to take her to all the beautiful places she wanted to visit, so long they were close to a port. Aboard their little ship they would travel the world, stretching their honeymoon for as long as possible. It sounded like a wonderful idea, and one she would have surely declined if Nikolai had mentioned it before they were actually sailing away. No wonder he’d kept it a surprise. Saints, sometimes she wondered if he knew her better than herself.

“Felt like the best honeymoon I could offer you, sunshine.” He said.

“It does sound wonderful, though we can’t exactly stay away for too long. We have our lives waiting back home.” Life back home. Yes, that sounded like a good ground point.

She was about to continue when Nikolai’s reply came in a chuckle, “I promise you, Alina, we won’t be away for too long. Though in all honesty, my home is wherever you are.” His voice was so, so tender. Alina wondered how she could have ever thought she could have been happy with Mal. He’d never, ever talked to her like this, not even remotely close. Nikolai… Nikolai spoke as though she was his… his one true love or something. That thought was enough to interrupt her stalling. Now or never.

“Nikolai?”

“Yes?”

“Hum, how… how do you feel about… kids?” Her voice was tiny, just a breath against his skin.

“Well, I love them. So hopeful and without a care in the world.”

She rolled her eyes, “I didn’t mean in general.”

“Oh. I hope, if you feel the same way, to have one of our own, of course. And if we do, I’ll do my best to be the father they need. And to be worthy of their love.”

“I’m sure you’ll be the best father in the world.”

“I can’t make any promises, but I’ll try.”

“Well…” She paused, “You can start working on your strategy.”

Nikolai’s hand stopped halfway down her arm, his fingertips grazing her skin, “Meaning?”

Alina looked up. His eyes were stuck on hers, wide and sparkling with questions. She smiled, “Meaning we weren’t careful enough. I’m… pregnant, Nikolai.”

Nikolai froze in that moment, his breath held back as he stared straight at her. As seconds ticked by, Alina’s smile began to waver. Oh no. Could he… Could he have changed his mind? Could he—

He kissed her.

A surprised yelp died on her throat, the kiss so surprisingly fast and passionate, it took her brain several seconds to realise what was happening. And most importantly, what it meant.

Hours rushed by before the kiss was over, Nikolai’s hands lost in her hair and a silly grin stuck on his face. Alina still fashioned a much stumped expression, her body still catching up, still holding back. Nikolai’s grin widened as he fell back on his pillow and passed a hand through his hair, making it point everywhere, “Saints. We’re going to be parents!” His voice sounded happy enough, but still, Alina wanted to be sure.

“So… You’re happy about this?”

His hazel eyes found hers, “Oh yes, sunshine. I’m very happy. Forgive my initial reaction, I was just… surprised. But happy. So happy.” He pulled her in for another kiss, this one just a tender peck against her lips, “A kid. Of our own…” Alina leaned into his hand as he caressed her cheek, “And you, are you happy? And how long have you known this? Are you certain?”

She chuckled, “Yes, I’m happy. About a week. Very certain. Genya made me take several different tests, several times. Just to be absolute sure.”

Blonde eyebrows shot upwards, “Oh? So that’s why she wanted us celibate for a whole week. Afraid you’d spill the beans?”

“Oh Nikolai…” She rolled her eyes and dropped her head on his chest, “Yes. She claimed that if you found out before the wedding, you’d suggest eloping. I guess with just a week away from the event, she didn’t feel like throwing away her work.”

Nikolai gasped, “I would never—” He stopped when Alina shot him a look, then sighed, “Well, I could have suggested it, yes.” He pursed his lips in deep thought, “No, I would have. Baby news? I would have, yes.”

She shook her head, then sobered for a moment, “Are you mad?”

“Mad? Why?”

“Because I didn’t tell you right away…”

His tongue peeked out, in that manner it did when Nikolai was weighing his words, carefully choosing each letter and intonation. “Mad? No. Absolutely not. But I admit I would have liked to know sooner. But I too kept a secret from you, so it would be hypocrite of me to judge your decisions. Plus,” He flashed a smirk, “I loved the surprise. It was so much more special this way. Mad? Only about you.”

Alina rolled her eyes at that, “You’re such a ridiculous idiot.”

His smile bloomed, “Yes. And an idiot that loves you very much.” He said and rolled them over before showering her neck with playful kisses.

She laughed, as she always did when Nikolai gave her these kisses. They were ridiculous and overboard, but they made her feel so, so happy. So happy. “I love you too, Nikolai.”

“I suppose,” He said, his lips drawing closer to her own, “I’ll have to make our little boat child-safe.”

“You have time.” She let out through a moan when Nikolai’s hand moved into her hair, his weight on her distracting all of her rational thoughts. Saints, just a pressure and her body was already begging for all of him.

“I suppose I do, but…” Nikolai nudged her legs apart, “I have to plan and make sure everything is in order, don’t I?”

“I’m so… Oh…” Her words were interrupted then as he sank into her, so slowly it was pure torture. Alina wasn't able to speak until he was completely inside of her, and even then, she was sure her brain was petitioning to put speech and words into the background. “I’m really, really happy you’re happy about this.” She rasped, fingers playing with his hair, eyes hooded with pleasure.

Nikolai brushed his nose against her cheek before kissing her skin with that reverence of his that always, always made her weak in the knees, “How could I not, sunshine? I’m finally your husband, _really_ your husband. And now you tell me we’re having a kid of our own? Truly, this is a dream come true, and one I didn’t even know I had.” He kissed her lips, “Although, I think that anything I get to do with you is already a dream come true. Be it having a baby or just washing your car.”

She laughed and hooked a leg around him, “Your head will grow with this, but I’m really happy I got stuck with you a year ago. But please, move. We can talk after.”

His laughter was far too husky and insufferable for his own good, “As you wish, my beautiful Alina. As you wish.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FINALLY figured out what to write for the epilogue!! can I get a HOORAY??  
> some folks suggested wedding, others honeymoon and I even got a "baby news??" comment in earlier chapters. all this combined into this epilogue lol. what can I say? don't fight inspiration when it comes!! and thank you to the wonderful commenters that gave me the ideas and supported this idea <3<3<3
> 
>  
> 
> feedback/comments/fangirling is a wonderful magic of its own and I could use some today on this gloomy day <3


End file.
